HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

House of Commons Annunciator System:

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the House of Commons Commission plans to carry on the annunciator system a feed of proceedings from the chambers of the devolved assemblies.

Nick Harvey: It is not possible for Members to view proceedings of the devolved assemblies on the Parliamentary annunciator system as there are no broadcast links available. The proceedings can however be viewed via the internet using the following sites:
	For the Scottish Parliament:
	www.scottish.parliament.uk
	For the Welsh Assembly:
	www.senedd.tv
	For the Northern Ireland Assembly:
	www.niassembly.gov.uk/stream.htm

TRANSPORT

Arriva

Paul Keetch: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what discussions his Department had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the  (a) new Arriva Trains Wales North to South Wales Express service and  (b) merits of that service including a stop in Hereford.

Chris Mole: This is a devolved matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. The Department for Transport has not had any detailed discussion about this service with the Welsh Assembly Government, apart from clarification of the contractual status of this service.

Aviation: Waltham Forest

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of the revised London City Airport standard instrument departure procedures on the number of aircraft flying over areas of Waltham Forest; and which areas of Waltham Forest have been affected by such changes.

Paul Clark: London City Airport's standard instrument departure (SID) routes passed over parts of Waltham Forest before the recent changes and under the revised SIDs, still do. The Civil Aviation Authority, as the independent regulator of airspace, will assess the full impact of the changes 12 months after their introduction.

Bus Services: Fares

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the percentage change in bus fares was in  (a) London and  (b) England in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09.

Sadiq Khan: The annual percentage change in local bus fares in London was 5 per cent. in 2007-08 and 0 per cent. in 2008-09, at current prices. The equivalent figures for England were 6 per cent. in 2007-08 and 5 per cent. in 2008-09.
	These statistics are derived from the bus fares index maintained by the Department for Transport and are calculated as the annual percentage increase in the average value of the relevant index across the whole financial year.

East Coast Main Line

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department is taking to increase internet access speeds on passenger rail services operating on the East Coast Main Line.

Chris Mole: The franchise requirements with respect to wi-fi internet access on the East Coast route have transferred from National Express East Coast to the East Coast Main Line Company trading as East Coast. I understand that East Coast is reviewing the service that is provided.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties and Insurance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what requirements his Department makes of cars registered abroad to have  (a) road tax and  (b) insurance when being driven on UK roads; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: A vehicle which is properly registered and taxed in its home country may be used by a visitor for up to six months in any 12 without being subject to domestic registration and licensing.
	All vehicles in use on UK roads, whether or not registered in the UK, are required to be insured against third party risk under Section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

National Express East Coast

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what plans he has for future operational arrangements for the two rail franchises currently held by National Express; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: holding answer 30 November 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Transport on 26 November 2009,  Official Report, column 100WS.

North Cotswold Line

Paul Keetch: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he plans to create a dual track railway line on the North Cotswold Line between Ledbury and Hereford; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: There are no Government plans at present for re-doubling the North Cotswolds Line between Ledbury and Hereford, although Network Rail is currently reviewing the requirements of the line as part of its West Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy. The outcome from this and other route utilisation strategies will guide rail investment from 2014.

Norwich-London Railway Line

David Ruffley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  on how many occasions trains or rolling stock used on the Norwich to London railway line failed routine safety inspections in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2009 to date;
	(2)  how many instances have been identified of employees  (a) operating vehicles and  (b) managing infrastructure on the Norwich to London railway line without the appropriate safety certificate or authorisation during (i) 2007, (ii) 2008 and (iii) 2009 to date;
	(3)  how many breaches of health and safety regulations have been reported on the Norwich to London railway line in each of the last 10 years.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested. The Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for safety regulation. The hon. Member may wish to contact the Office of Rail Regulation at the following address for such information:
	Office of Rail Regulation
	1 Kemble Street
	London
	WC2B 4AN

Penzance-Plymouth Railway Line

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will bring forward measures to amend the terms of the CrossCountry franchise agreement to include a requirement for the train operating company to provide catering facilities between Penzance and Plymouth.

Chris Mole: The obligations upon CrossCountry to provide catering between defined points on its network were based upon market research conducted by the successful bidder (Arriva). The Department for Transport has no plans to amend the terms of the Franchise Agreement to include a requirement to provide catering facilities between Penzance and Plymouth.

Public Transport: Tyne and Wear

Jim Cousins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what projects his Department plans to fund from the Transport Innovation Fund in Tyne and Wear as a result of the work of the Tyne and Wear People in Motion Partnership.

Sadiq Khan: It is for Tyne and Wear authorities to decide whether to bid for funding for schemes from the Transport Innovation Fund. The Department for Transport has not received any such bids to date.

Railways: Penalty Fares

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport under what  (a) statutory or  (b) other authority train operating companies may apply penalty fares.

Chris Mole: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The legal basis for charging penalty fares is section 130 of the Railways Act 1993.
	There are also two statutory instruments relating to regulations for penalty fares: the Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 1994 (Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 576) and the Railways (Penalty Fares) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 1095).

Railways: Repairs and Maintenance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received on the replacement of railway sleepers.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has had representation from two companies regarding the use of railway sleepers made from recycled material.

Roads: Accidents

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many people have been  (a) killed and  (b) injured while driving on roads in each year since 1997.

Paul Clark: The following table shows the number of motor vehicle drivers and riders  (a) killed and  (b) injured in reported road accidents in each year since 1997:
	
		
			  Reported motor vehicle driver and rider casualties: GB 1997-2008 
			   Killed  Injured 
			 1997 1,741 164,920 
			 1998 1,704 166,270 
			 1999 1,706 164,902 
			 2000 1,768 169,043 
			 2001 1,824 167,513 
			 2002 1,844 163,497 
			 2003 1,943 157,871 
			 2004 1,771 153,535 
			 2005 1,764 149,780 
			 2006 1,735 143,481 
			 2007 1,610 137,529 
			 2008 1,415 127,133 
		
	
	A breakdown of these statistics can be found in the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2008 Annual Report. Copies of the report have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

Rolling Stock

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the fuel consumption of the proposed bi-mode Intercity Express train per mile when running  (a) under the wires and  (b) on diesel; and what percentage of fuel consumed when running under the wires will be attributable to the transportation of the vehicle itself.

Chris Mole: Based on "flat out"(1) running, the fuel consumption of a 10-car bi-mode Super Express train is approximately  (a) 30 kWh per mile when on an electric-powered journey from London to Edinburgh (same as for the bi-mode train running on electric) and  (b) 7.3 litres per mile when on a diesel-powered journey from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
	When either a bi-mode train or an electric train is running London to Edinburgh, the percentage of power attributable to transportation of the train is estimated to be approximately 80-90 per cent., with the remainder providing power to air conditioning, lighting and other onboard 'hotel' services. This proportion will vary depending on the route being operated, dwell times, turn around times, etc.
	(1) Reflecting maximum acceleration and braking, and station stops (zero dwell times).

Transport: Weston-super-Mare

John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of progress on the West of England Partnership's Weston Package bid; and when he expects it to be granted programme entry.

Sadiq Khan: Assessment for Programme Entry of the Weston Package scheme has now been completed and I expect to make a decision shortly.

WALES

Departmental Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many external consultants work for his Department.

Peter Hain: None.

Departmental Information Officers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many full-time equivalent press officers  (a) are employed by and  (b) work for his Department.

Peter Hain: Three.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost to his Department was of the provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Peter Hain: It is not possible to provide the information in the manner requested as we do not hold a breakdown on the cost of office facilities for individual units within the Wales Office.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he last travelled by  (a) bus and  (b) taxi in the course of his official duties.

Peter Hain: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) 13 November 2009
	 (b) 26 November 2009

Immobilisation of Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on  (a) privately-owned and  (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: None.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Recycling

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what weight of paper his Department recycled in each of the last five years.

Dan Norris: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs can confirm that DEFRA recycled the following amount of paper in each of the last five years.
	
		
			   Paper recycled (Tonnes)  Total waste (Tonnes)  Percentage of waste recycled( 1)  Percentage of waste recovered( 2) 
			 2008-09 781 (3)- (3)- (3)- 
			 2007-08 881 4,816 29 60 
			 2006-07 860 5,252 27 55 
			 2005-06 970 5,716 29 47 
			 2004-05 669 4,283 22 52 
			 (1) Waste recycled is any waste that is recycled, composted or reused externally. (2) Waste recovered is any waste that is recycled, composted, reused externally or incinerated with energy recovery (energy from waste). (3) Data embargoed by OGC until 18 December 2009. 
		
	
	The table above demonstrates that DEFRA is continuing to both reduce its waste arisings and increase the amount of waste it recycles/recovers.
	It should be noted that DEFRA rebaselined its waste arisings for Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) reporting purposes to 2006-07 following a change in the reporting parameters; in 2004-05 and 2005-06 data were gathered from sites with 50 or more staff, this changed in 2006-07 and subsequent years to reporting sites with 25 or more staff. The number of sites has increased from 38 to over 50.
	It should be noted that DEFRA incinerates approximately 30 per cent. of its waste, from which significant quantity of heat and energy is recovered. The majority of the incinerated waste is generated in the laboratories and cannot be recycled, therefore incinerating with energy recovery higher on the waste hierarchy than sending to landfill. Current Sustainable Development Commission reporting does not acknowledge energy recovery from waste incineration as recycling or waste recovery under current Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) guidelines.
	The full 2008-09 Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reporting data will be published by OGC on 18 December 2009.

Drinking Water: Pollution Control

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount spent from the public purse on removing  (a) pesticides and  (b) nitrates from drinking water supplies in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The cost of providing public drinking water supplies is not covered by the public purse. Costs are incurred by water companies which recover them from customers through water bills.

Food Supply

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) conducted on the introduction of new crops and agronomic techniques intended to ensure the security of food supply.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has invested in research on the development of improved pest and disease resistance, reduced input requirements, resilience to climate change and lower pollution outputs. The DEFRA Crop Genetic Improvement Networks (cereals, oilseed rape, pulses, vegetables, grasses, biomass crops) deliver research that allows selection of genetic resources for desired characteristics. DEFRA co-funds further research in partnership with industry (e.g. LINK) to transfer these characteristics into commercially viable crops.
	DEFRA has also funded research generally in partnership with industry into improved agronomic techniques to develop whole-farm approaches that optimise production in terms of soil and nutrient management, precision agriculture, integrated management of crop diseases, pests and weeds, and improved water use efficiency.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Research

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assess the environmental impact of genetically modified crops in England; if he will list the research projects commissioned or completed since the conclusion of the Government-funded farm scale evaluations, that are designed to repeat or built on the research on the environmental impacts of those trials; and what scientific conclusions were reached.

Dan Norris: In line with European Union legislation, the proposed release of genetically modified crops is subject to a robust case-by-case assessment of the potential impact on human health and the environment. DEFRA Ministers receive expert scientific advice on this from the independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment.
	DEFRA has commissioned two projects since the conclusion of the Farm Scale Evaluation trials which follow up or build on that research, as follows:
	
		
			  Research project title  Project code 
			 Assessing the environmental impact of crop production practice-beyond the GM crop Farm Scale Evaluations AR0317 
			 Farm Scale Evaluations-further sampling of soil seed bank and seedling emergence CB 02034 and 02037 
		
	
	Full details of these projects, including the final reports, are available on the DEFRA website.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Research

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the implications for his Department's policies on genetically modified foods of the editorial in the Scientific American in July 2009 which asserts that it is impossible to verify that genetically modified crops perform as advertised because agritech companies have given themselves veto power over the work of independent researchers.

Dan Norris: We support open scientific inquiry in this area, and anticipate that companies would make their genetically modified seeds available for legitimate research, as they did in the UK for the major Farm Scale Evaluations project.

Land Drainage: Urban Areas

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's definition is of a sustainable urban drainage system; if he will adopt the definition used in Scottish law; how many such systems there are in England and Wales; who is responsible for  (a) creating and  (b) maintaining them; how they physically connect with surface water systems; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: As a general rule, the phrase 'Sustainable Urban Drainage System' is used in Scotland, whereas 'Sustainable Drainage Systems' tends to apply in England and Wales because its use is not limited to urban areas.
	The Flood and Water Management Bill, which had its first reading in the House of Commons on 19 November, will introduce measures to increase the uptake of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) in England and Wales. The Bill sets out that 'sustainable drainage' means managing rainwater with the aim of:
	Reducing damage from flooding;
	Improving water quality;
	Protecting and improving the environment;
	Protecting health and safety; and
	Ensuring the stability and durability of drainage systems.
	The Bill also gives powers to the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers to define by regulations the term 'sustainable drainage system'.
	There is currently no register of SUDS, although the proposals set out in the Flood and Water Management Bill for the approval and adoption of sustainable drainage systems will address this.
	The Government currently encourage the uptake of SUDS through planning policy statement 25 on development and flood risk, and part H of the building regulations 2002.
	Sir Michael Pitt's review of the 2007 floods identified that the lack of formal SUDS adoption and maintenance arrangements and an automatic right to connect surface water to the public sewer system, were barriers to a more widespread uptake of SUDS.
	The Flood and Water Management Bill seeks to resolve these issues by requiring developers to seek approval for drainage plans for new developments and redevelopments from a new SUDS Approving Body (SAB) in unitary and county councils. It also provides for the Government to publish a set of National Standards for SUDS, after consultation. Permission to connect surface water drains to the public sewer (if needed) would only be given once the drainage systems have been approved by the local authority as meeting National Standards for SUDS. The Bill also states that sustainable drainage systems serving more than one property would be adopted and maintained by the local authority SUDS Approving Body. These proposals should ensure that SUDS are routinely used in developments in the future.

Pets: Animal Welfare

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of abandoned animals.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 owners and keepers of animals are required to keep their animals in a suitable environment. The law on abandonment is therefore robust and those who do not comply can be sent to prison for up to six months, fined and/or disqualified from keeping animals.
	We have been working closely with animal welfare stakeholders to produce new Codes of Practice on the welfare of cats, dogs, and horses. These new Codes are designed to help people comply with the requirements of the Act. We believe they will help to prevent animals from being abandoned and will be launched shortly.

Pets: Animal Welfare

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of animals acquired as domestic pets and abandoned after the Christmas period in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has made no estimate.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

BAE Systems

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Attorney-General has received a report from the Serious Fraud Office for consent for prosecution in relation to charges against BAE Systems; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has previously announced that it is preparing papers to be submitted to the Attorney-General when the SFO considers it is ready to proceed. That remains the current position.

BAE Systems

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Serious Fraud Office has closed its investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption involving BAE Systems in  (a) Romania and  (b) South Africa.

Vera Baird: The Serious Fraud Office is conducting a number of live criminal investigations into BAE Systems and it is not appropriate to comment on the details at this stage.

Business: Corruption

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Attorney-General is required to conduct a Shawcross exercise when considering whether to consent to prosecute British companies and individuals in relation to allegations of overseas corruption; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Attorney-General is under no such obligation.

Departmental Air Travel

Simon Hughes: To ask the Solicitor-General how many domestic flights within Great Britain officials from the Law Officers' Departments took in an official capacity in 2008-09; and at what cost to the public purse such flights were taken.

Vera Baird: The information requested is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Department  Number of flight on official business  Cost (£) 
			 Attorney General's Office 73 16,932 
			 Serious Fraud Office 77 14,812 
			 National Fraud Authority 2 749.20 
			 Treasury Solicitors 0 0 
			 Her Majesty's Chief Crown Prosecutions inspectorate 0 0 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office 19 3,052.37 
		
	
	Information in respect of the Crown Prosecution Service could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel by Civil Servants is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Civil Service Management Code and Departmental staff handbooks.

Departmental Cost-effectiveness

Vincent Cable: To ask the Solicitor-General what efficiency savings projects the Law Officers' Departments put in place under the Operational Efficiency Programme; on what date each such project was initiated; how much each such project was expected to contribute to Departmental savings; how much had been saved through each such project on the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Law Officers Departments account for one of the smallest budgets in Whitehall. In line with the Government's OEP implementation plan, they have provided benchmarking data to HM Treasury across the range of OEP indicators.
	The Law Officers Departments' contribution to the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) is being delivered as part of their wider effort to deliver value for money, including their contribution to the Government's target to deliver £35 billion in savings during the current comprehensive spending review period.
	Under these arrangements a number of projects are planned or are already under way. In April it was announced that we would merge the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) to drive out economies of scale, minimise duplication and create a more flexible and resilient organisation which was better able to handle specialist and complex cases. RCPO and CPS will by July 2010 have merged into one prosecuting body delivering significant savings.
	The Law Officers Departments are also reviewing their estates as part of the overall efficiency effort, with a view to rationalising accommodation as leases expire. The first major phase of the rationalisation will be to give up RCPO's existing accommodation in New Kings Beam House when the lease on that property expires in December 2011. Work thereafter will enable the whole Law Officers Departments' estate to be used more flexibly and cost-effectively in the future.
	Additionally, the Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol) has upgraded its financial system and reviewed its financial processes so that the opportunities for efficiency provided by the new system can be fully exploited and these include outsourced invoice scanning with electronic authorisation. New procure-to-pay systems are being introduced, in line with the recommendations of the OEP, to improve controls over the procurement process, reduce costs and increase the opportunities for collaborative procurement.
	The Law Officers Departments continue to work collectively to identify and deliver further opportunities for efficiency savings in OEP areas and are undertaking a review to ensure that they are best positioned to contribute to the £9 billion which will be delivered in the next spending period.

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Solicitor-General on how many occasions she visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: I have made one official visit to Scotland during the last 12 months.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Solicitor-General how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in the Law Officers' Departments.

Vera Baird: There are no scientific advisers or civil servants in scientific posts in the Law Officers' Departments.

Serious Fraud Office

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Solicitor-General whether she has considered the merits of the Serious Fraud Office operating a leniency programme similar to that operated by the Office of Fair Trading.

Vera Baird: The SFO has recently published a guide to dealing with overseas corruption, including a self-reporting element that has some similarities with the Office of Fair Trading's Leniency Programme.
	The SFO's guide to dealing with overseas corruption can be found on the SFO website at:
	http://www.sfo.gov.uk/media/13390/approach%20of%20the% 20sfo%20to%dealing%20with%20overseas%20corruption.pdf

Vodafone Group: Ghana Telecom

Tom Watson: To ask the Solicitor-General 
	(1)  what representations the Serious Fraud Office has received in respect of Vodafone's merger with Ghana Telecom; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions the Serious Fraud Office has had with representatives of Vodafone on its merger with Ghana Telecom in the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: I have not received representations on this issue, nor have I had any such discussions.

Vodafone Group: Ghana Telecom

Tom Watson: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Serious Fraud Office plans to investigate Vodafone's merger with Ghana Telecom; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: For operational reasons it would not be appropriate to comment on this matter at this time.

JUSTICE

British Petroleum

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether officials in his Department took a minute or other record of the telephone calls between Sir Mark Allen, Senior Consultant at BP, and him in  (a) October 2007 and  (b) November 2007.

Jack Straw: The fact that the phone calls had been made was recorded, and has already been made public. From my recollection both calls were brief, no formal record of the calls was taken, and no other record of the calls remains.

Debts: Advisory Services

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what discussions officials of his Department have had with the Prime Minister's Office on the regulation of debt management schemes;
	(2)  what meetings his Department held with outside organisations prior to the publication of the consultation on the introduction of a statutory debt management scheme;
	(3)  for what reason the consultation on the introduction of a statutory debt management scheme was not published in July 2009;
	(4)  what discussions Ministers in his Department had with interested parties prior to the publication of the consultation on the introduction of a statutory debt management scheme;
	(5)  what representations his Department has received to its consultation on debt management schemes to date;
	(6)  what his policy is on the generation of profits from debt management schemes operating under the provisions of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  when he expects to publish his Department's response to its consultation on debt management schemes.

Bridget Prentice: The current economic downturn is causing real hardship for many hardworking consumers and the Government are determined to do all we can to help those in financial difficulties, while balancing this against creditors' rights to recover their debts wherever possible, both now and in the future.
	Following concerns about the operation of this sector, the consultation paper "Debt Management Schemes-delivering effective and balanced solutions for debtors and creditors" was published on 18 September 2009. It looks at the current operation of the debt management market, seeking views on whether any changes are needed in this area and, if so, what those changes should be.
	The consultation paper sets out three broad options. First, to continue with the measures currently under way to raise awareness about current schemes and enforce existing rules with operators. Second, to improve current schemes without regulation, possibly through the introduction of a protocol. Or third, to implement the Lord Chancellor's powers to approve debt management schemes contained in Chapter 4 of Part 5 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act (TCEA) 2007.
	During the development of the paper, officials held a number of bi-lateral meetings with stakeholders from the credit, advice and debt management plan operator sectors. These were supplemented by a series of seminars to wider audiences at various locations across the country and the creation a key stakeholder group consisting of representatives from all sectors that has met several times.
	The Government had originally intended to publish the consultation paper before the summer recess. However, publication was delayed to allow the paper to reflect early comments on the Consumer White Paper published on 2 July 2009, which detailed wider Government action to support consumers.
	This consultation has been developed jointly by the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Insolvency Service. As is normal, such consultations involve discussions with and input from a wide range of departments, including the Cabinet Office.
	The consultation paper makes it clear that the Government have no set view on which, if any, of the options proposed should be taken forward. However, we have made it clear that only reasonable costs should be recoverable by providers and are seeking views on the level at which these should be set should there be a consensus to move forward with either the introduction some form of protocol or the implementation of the powers in Part 5 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.
	It is expected that the results of the consultation will be available in the new year, at which time the Government would announce what action we plan to take in this area.
	The consultation paper can be accessed via the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/debt-management-schemes.htm

Departmental Contracts

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria his Department uses in determining the award of contracts; and how much his Department and its predecessors spent on the advertisement of tenders for Government contracts since 1997.

Michael Wills: Contracts are awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous offer taking into account economic, technical and commercial considerations using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract. No costs are incurred by the Ministry of Justice on the advertisement of tenders. We are required to advertise certain types of contracts in the  Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) which is a free of charge service and we also take advantage of other free trade journals.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice does not separately identify expenditure on website maintenance in its accounting records. However, the Ministry's Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) division holds offline records on this expenditure as follows:
	
		
			  2008-09  m aintenance cost 
			   £ 
			 Ministry of Justice HQ 1,410,000.00 
			 Tribunals Service 146,256.00 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 0 
		
	
	
		
			  2009-10  f orecast maintenance cost 
			   £ 
			 Ministry of Justice HQ 1,410,000.00 
			 Tribunals Service 164,615.00 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 0 
		
	
	It is not possible to reliably distinguish website maintenance costs (incurred or forecast) from other IT expenditure for HM Courts Service and the National Offender Management Service, except at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Legislation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criminal offences have been created in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 955W and the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East (James Duddridge) on 9 October 2008,  Official Report, column 785W.
	The information in the Libraries of the House is still current and there are no immediate plans to update the information and to do so could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Michael Wills: There are no scientific adviser posts within the Ministry of Justice, nor are there any civil servants working in scientific posts. A small number of staff in the National Offender Management Service work as scientific officers or with the scientific grade group but these are in statistical or professional and technical, rather than scientific roles. The Ministry of Justice as a whole employs a number of statisticians, economists, social researchers and operational researchers but these are not classified as scientific posts.
	Some scientific services are provided to the Ministry of Justice by staff employed by the other Government Departments most notably the Home Office Scientific Development Branch.

Domestic Violence

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) longest,  (b) average and  (c) shortest waiting period for entry on to a domestic violence perpetrator programme was in England and Wales in each year since such programmes were introduced.

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the longest, average and shortest number of weeks that elapse from the date of sentence or licence for offences of violence or abuse to the commencement of domestic violence programme requirements in England and Wales from 2005-06 to 2008-09.
	
		
			  Domestic violence programme waiting times in England and Wales 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Longest 155.1 161.5 166.1 155.9 
			 Average(1) 27.1 30.0 31.8 29.4 
			 Shortest 0.1 0 0.1 0 
			 (1)Average across 40 probation areas, excludes data from Cheshire and Greater Manchester. 
		
	
	High risk offenders will be given priority by probation areas over those of medium risk. Preparation work needs to be completed with offenders before they can commence the group work element of a programme.
	Offenders waiting for a place on a domestic violence programme are under the supervision of their offender manager who will monitor and actively manage the risk posed by the offender during the course of the supervision period.
	The National Offender Management Service is working to reduce waiting times by ensuring staff are familiar with the referral criteria, and by improved liaison between the offender manager, the programme delivery team, and the court.
	A further three domestic abuse programmes are also currently being piloted with a view to extending the range of interventions available to perpetrators.
	The figures have been drawn from administrative data systems and although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The figures may also be subject to change as cases are updated.

Driving

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms are in place to ensure that staff who drive  (a) a vehicle for which (i) his Department and (ii) one of its executive agencies is responsible have valid driving licences and  (b) their own vehicles in the course of their official duties for (A) his Department and (B) one of its executive agency have valid driving licences and insurance; what guidance is issued to those staff in respect of road safety while carrying out official duties; what steps are taken to monitor compliance with that guidance; what requirements there are on such staff to report to their line managers accidents in which they are involved while driving in the course of their official duties; and whether such reports are investigated.

Michael Wills: Policy, rules and guidance related to driving for work, and occupational road-risk are stated in:
	(i) Ministry of Justice Departmental Car Scheme User Guidance
	(ii) Ministry of Justice Staff Handbook
	(iii) Ministry of Justice Corporate Health and Safety documentation
	MoJ staff who drive either  (a) an official vehicle, or  (b) their own vehicle in the course of their duties must complete an initial driver declaration form and submit a copy of their licence.
	A driver licence and insurance check form must also be completed once a year by staff, with their line manager, for staff using their own vehicle on official duties.
	Line managers are required to check the driving licence of each individual using a departmental vehicle on a six monthly basis.
	In addition to these requirements, staff submitting a claim form seeking reimbursement for mileage expenses incurred while driving their own vehicle in the course of their duties, have to sign a declaration that they hold a valid driving licence; the vehicle has a current MOT and their motor insurance policy covers the use of the vehicle on official business.
	Drivers of official vehicles and drivers using their own vehicles on official business must immediately notify their line managers if their licences are endorsed, or withdrawn.
	Drivers involved in any accident must notify their line managers (regardless of who owns the car being driven). In addition, drivers of official vehicles must disclose all material facts to the insurer and complete an accident claims form.
	All accident reports are assessed. Where the seriousness of the accident warrants further attention, an investigation will be carried out.

Driving Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in  (a) Lewes constituency,  (b) Sussex and  (c) England were disqualified from driving as a result of (i) drink-driving, (ii) speeding and (iii) dangerous or reckless driving in each of the last 10 years.

Claire Ward: The number of disqualifications imposed at all courts in the Sussex police force area and England for driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, speed limit offences, dangerous and careless driving offences, is shown in tables 1 and 2 from 1998 to 2007 (latest available).
	There is no specific offence of reckless driving, thus information included in the table is for offences of dangerous and careless driving.
	Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1:  N umber of disqualifications imposed at all courts in the Sussex police force area, for selected motoring offences, from 1998 to 2007( 1,2) 
			  N umber of offences 
			  Offence type  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004( 3)  2005  2006  2007 
			 Dangerous driving 68 71 63 81 81 75 83 98 81 71 
			 Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 1,998 2,119 2,014 2,250 2,224 2,343 2,412 2,298 2,381 2,389 
			 Careless driving 42 50 45 56 56 59 54 32 50 47 
			 Speed limit offences 351 262 306 209 146 111 81 10 179 151 
			 Total 2,459 2,502 2,428 2,596 2,507 2,588 2,630 2,529 2,691 2,658 
			 (1) It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are use. (3) Figures given are not as originally published within the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Motoring Offences and Breath Test Statistics, England and Wales, 2004", which was released on 30 March 2006. The figures originally released in the above named publication were, due to a processing error, incorrect.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2:  N umber of disqualifications imposed at all courts in England, for selected motoring offences, from 1998 to 2007( 1,2) 
			  N umber of offences 
			  Offence type  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004( 3)  2005  2006  2007 
			 Dangerous driving 4,570 4,269 4,225 4,116 5,071 6,220 6,177 5,256 4,914 4,675 
			 Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 80,332 77,827 74,697 73,685 79,310 81,139 84,669 81,107 81,461 78,503 
			 Careless driving 1,423 1,445 1,478 1,861 2,026 1,988 2,240 2,164 2,085 2,232 
			 Speed limit offences 11,565 11,551 10,695 10,951 8,739 9,330 9,582 9,875 8,977 7,917 
			 Total 97,890 95,092 91,095 90,613 95,146 98,677 102,668 98,402 97,437 93,327 
			 (1) It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are use. (3) Figures given include revised figures for Sussex police force area.  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Driving Offences: Norwich

Chloe Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in Norwich North constituency have been disqualified from driving following an offence of  (a) speeding,  (b) dangerous driving and  (c) drink-driving in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The number of disqualifications imposed at all courts in the Norfolk police force area for speed limit offences, dangerous driving and driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) is given in the following table.
	Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Number of disqualifications imposed at all courts in the Norfolk police force area, for selected motoring offences, from 1997 to 2007( 1, 2) 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence type  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Dangerous driving 50 40 55 34 37 52 81 70 66 66 82 
			 Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 1,037 1,001 947 872 1,065 1,179 1,216 1,178 1,217 1,261 1,186 
			 Speed limit offences 290 202 280 188 251 193 321 400 400 351 285 
			 Total 1,377 1,243 1,282 1,094 1,353 1,424 1,618 1,648 1,683 1,678 1,553 
			 (1) It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings, in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.

Driving Offences: Norwich

Chloe Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions of residents of Norwich North constituency for each type of motoring offence have resulted in a custodial sentence since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The number of convictions at all courts in the Norfolk police force area for motoring offences (by offence type) is given in Table 1 from 1997 to 2007 (latest available). Sentences of immediate custody imposed at all courts are given in Table 2.
	Court proceedings data held centrally do not identify where those convicted are resident. Data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
	Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Defendants found guilty at all courts in the Norfolk police force area, for motoring offences,( 1)  by offence type, from 1997 to 2007( 2,3) 
			  Number 
			  Offence group  Offence type  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 2 Dangerous driving 45 40 47 31 32 59 67 60 56 59 72 
			 3 Driving etc., after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 1,025 1,034 915 838 1,018 1,109 1,150 1,105 1,141 1,241 1,119 
			 4 Careless driving 724 771 814 809 1,009 857 662 497 549 514 490 
			 5 Accident offences 144 157 128 109 118 127 131 137 133 146 103 
			 7 Driving licence related offences 484 464 525 485 593 595 642 582 542 503 475 
			 9 Vehicle insurance offences 2,503 2,193 2,072 1,848 1,640 1,944 2,620 2,335 2,149 2,199 1,978 
			 10 Vehicle registration and excise licence offences 322 47 52 218 175 222 272 125 42 21 10 
			 11 Work record and employment offences 53 39 28 19 16 26 22 16 13 14 12 
			 12 Operator's licence offences 25 21 11 17 13 11 10 8 6 4 3 
			 13 Vehicle test offences 645 505 420 365 343 321 256 211 223 306 283 
			 14 Fraud, forgery etc associated with vehicle or driver records 129 78 76 61 83 67 58 32 20 39 25 
			 15 Vehicle or part in dangerous or defective condition 286 261 203 179 190 170 150. 162 116 138 110 
			 16 Speed limit offences 1,157 1,315 1,589 1,306 1,507 1,264 2,323 2,737 2,798 3,426 2,643 
			 18 Neglect of traffic directions 809 655 347 253 265 330 255 158 142 182 188 
			 19 Neglect of pedestrian rights 47 82 48 39 25 18 21 20 14 8 19 
			 20 Obstruction, waiting and parking offences 116 82 67 64 113 101 80 58 36 26 18 
			 21 Lighting offences 34 38 18 35 6 22 42 33 21 50 26 
			 22 Noise offences 76 85 55 40 30 32 26 17 7 14 18 
			 23 Load offences 126 161 125 74 85 97 125 58 35 56 31 
			 24 Offences peculiar to motor cycles 6 3 8 10 6 8 3 4 4 7 5 
			 25 Miscellaneous motoring offences 467 161 202 202 227 191 882 990 1,094 935 842 
			  Total 9,223 8,192 7,750 7,002 7,494 7,571 9,797 9,345 9,141 9,888 8,470 
			  
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offenders sentenced to immediate custody all courts in the Norfolk police force area, for motoring offences,( 1)  by offence type, from 1997 to 2007( 2, 3) 
			  Number 
			  Offence group  Offence type  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 2 Dangerous driving 19 11 16 14 21 27 34 26 19 24 28 
			 3 Driving etc, after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 31 27 39 19 31 26 25 37 26 23 36 
			 5 Accident offences 2 - - 3 1 - - 1 - 1 2 
			 7 Driving licence related offences 75 74 106 125 189 160 158 105 94 54 67 
			 9 Vehicle insurance offences - - - - - - - 1 - - - 
			 14 Fraud, forgery etc associated with vehicle or driver records - - - - - - 1 1 - - - 
			 16 Speed limit offences - - - - - - - 1 - - - 
			 25 Miscellaneous motoring offences - - 1 2 - - - - - - - 
			  Total 127 112 162 163 242 213 218, 172 139 102 133 
			 (1) Offence groups are shown only where data have been reported within the period given. (2) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are use.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

National Offender Management Information System: Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what expenditure his Department incurred on the C-NOMIS IT project.

Maria Eagle: The cost of the C-NOMIS project was £160.7 million (which excludes depreciation and cost of capital). The majority of this work has been re-used in the Prison-NOMIS project, which now forms part of the NOMIS Programme.

Peterborough Prison

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many offenders were detained at  (a) HMP Peterborough and  (b) Young Offender Institution Peterborough as at (i) 31 December 2008, (ii) 31 March 2009, (iii) 30 June 2009 and (iv) 30 September 2009; what proportion of capacity at the relevant institution these figures represent; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many foreign prisoners were detained at HMP Peterborough as at  (a) 31 December 2008,  (b) 31 March 2009,  (c) 30 June 2009 and  (d) 30 September 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The following table gives the numbers of adults and young offenders, and also the number of foreign nationals detained in HMP Peterborough at the dates shown, with the prison population total given as a percentage of operational capacity.
	
		
			   Adults  Young offenders  Total population  Total as percentage of operational capacity  Operational capacity  Foreign nationals 
			 31December 2008 864 71 935 1,008 93 147 
			 31 March 2009 869 64 933 1,008 93 150 
			 30 June 2009 893 57 950 1,008 94 175 
		
	
	 Operational Capacity
	The operational capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by area managers on the basis of operational judgement and experience.
	Figures for the numbers of prisoners held in all prison establishments in England and Wales can be found at the following website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	Figures for the numbers of foreign national prisoners are available at this site for each quarter.
	The prison service website at:
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/
	gives figures for operational capacity.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the drug testing programme in prisons.

Maria Eagle: There are three types of drug testing programmes in prisons:
	clinical drug testing which may be used by healthcare staff in support of drug misuse diagnosis;
	mandatory drug testing (MDT); and
	compact based drug testing (CBDT).
	Clinical drug testing is the responsibility of Primary Care Trusts and must be undertaken in line with Department of Health Guidance, "Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK Guidelines" on Clinical Management. Diagnosis does not rely entirely on indicative drug screening results.
	Drug testing methodologies used by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) match the requirements of the drug testing programmes, and are based on analytical industry standards. Drug testing services were subject to a rigorous evaluation at the time of procurement and are subject to independent quality control.
	Independent research carried out by the Office for National Statistics in to the effectiveness of MDT
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/rdsolr0305.pdf
	concluded that the mandatory drug testing programme met its key objectives.
	The effectiveness of CBDT is difficult to isolate from the range of other interventions offered to drug-misusing offenders in prisons. However, contingency management, which operates by providing incentives to modify behaviour, is well evidenced as being effective in the treatment of drug misuse and is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). CBDT is broadly consistent with the principles of contingency management.
	Both MDT and CBDT continue to be integral parts of the wider NOMS Drug Strategy in prisons. The success of the strategy overall is reflected in the reduction in drug misuse in prisons of 68 per cent. since 1996-07.

Prisoners Release

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2009,  Official Report, column 85W, on prisoners release, when he expects  (a) his Department's investigations to be concluded and  (b) the hon. Member for West Chelmsford to be given a summary of the findings.

Maria Eagle: It is expected that the investigating officer's report will be complete by 4 December. Depending on the recommendations in the report, and the possible need for any further proceedings as a result, I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Prisoners: Muslims

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent reports he has received on the exemption of Muslim prisoners from participation in sex offender treatment programmes.

Maria Eagle: We are not aware of any such reports. There are no exemptions from any parts of the Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) on the grounds of religion. SOTP, as with other offending behaviour programmes has clear selection criteria, based on risk and need, and rigorous assessment procedures which are used to assess the suitability of offenders referred for the programme.

Self-Harm: Prisoners

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what mechanisms are in place to monitor the risk of self-harm and suicide among prisoners detained on the female prison estate;
	(2)  how many incidents of self-harm among prisoners have been reported in each of the last four quarters of the last year.

Maria Eagle: Prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm in both the male and female prison estate are identified, cared for and monitored using the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process. This is a prisoner-centred, flexible and accountable care-planning system based on a multi-disciplinary approach. ACCT was introduced across the prison estate in partnership with the Department of Health during 2005-07.
	Every death in prison is a tragedy, and affects families, staff and other prisoners deeply. Ministers, the Ministry of Justice and NOMS are committed to learning from each death and to reducing the number of such incidents. Good care and support from staff save many lives, but such instances go largely unreported. Prisons successfully keep safe in any given month approximately 1,500 prisoners assessed to be at particular risk of suicide or self-harm. Deaths in prisons are among the most scrutinised of all incidents and each case is subject to a police investigation and an independent investigation by the Prisons Probation Ombudsman. Robust systems are in place for monitoring deaths and learning from them.
	NOMS does not compile quarterly statistics on incidents of self-harm in prisons. However, there was a provisional total of 24,686 incidents of self-harm recorded on NOMS Incident Reporting System in 2008, of which 12,938 incidents were in the female estate. In the community self-harm is often covert but in prison it is much harder to hide.
	NOMS has a broad, integrated and evidence-based prisoner suicide prevention and self-harm management strategy that seeks to reduce the distress of all those in prison. This encompasses proactively identifying prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm through the ACCT procedures described above. ACCT has helped prisons manage self-harm. Approximately 33,000 ACCT plans were opened in 2008. More than one plan can be opened for any prisoner. There are no easy answers to managing self-harming behaviour but NOMS remains committed to finding ways to manage it.

Young Offenders: Remand in Custody

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people in each year group to 18 charged with each category of offences have been placed on remand for  (a) less than one month,  (b) between one and three months,  (c) between three and six months,  (d) between six and 12 months and  (e) over 12 months in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is currently being collated and I hope to be in a position to write to the hon. Member within the next two weeks to provide the data requested for each year since 2000, when the Youth Justice Board was established.

Young Offenders: Remand in Custody

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people in each age group to 18 have been placed on remand and  (a) subsequently not convicted or  (b) convicted but given a non-custodial sentence in each year since 1997, broken down by the period of time spent on remand.

Maria Eagle: It is not possible to provide the data broken down by period of time spent on remand as requested. However, the information otherwise requested is currently being collated and I hope to be in a position to write to the hon. Member within the next two weeks.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Information Officers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time equivalent press officers  (a) are employed by and  (b) work for his Department.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office currently employs three press officers. All work directly for the office.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year.

Ann McKechin: The cost of maintaining the Scotland Office website in the financial year 2008-09 was £15,052.50 plus VAT.
	The cost included the redevelopment of the site including a comprehensive in-house content management system which represents considerable value for money and cost savings for the office when implemented as well as now and in the future.
	The projected maintenance costs for the Scotland Office website for the financial year 2009-10 are £3,500 plus VAT.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he last travelled by  (a) bus and  (b) taxi in the course of his official duties.

Jim Murphy: I last travelled by  (a) bus on 5 November 2009 and  (b) taxi on 27 October 2009 in the course of my official duties.

Immobilisation of Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on  (a) privately-owned and  (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office does not separately record information on vehicle clamping charges.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Capita

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether any contracts between Capita Group plc and his Department have been cancelled before completion since 1997; and whether Capita Group plc has been liable for any penalties arising from failings in the administration of contracts since 1997.

Si�n Simon: No contracts between Capita Group plc and the Department were cancelled prior to completion. No penalties for contractual defaults have been imposed.

Departmental Contracts

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria his Department uses in determining the award of contracts; and how much his Department has spent on the advertisement of tenders for Government contracts since 1997.

Si�n Simon: Each contract has its own unique set of criteria on which the award will be made. This will be dependent on the specific nature of work that is required. All criteria used are in accordance with best practice, in terms of seeking the most economically advantageous tender.
	The Department only holds information on the cost of advertising tenders from 2006-07, when electronic tendering was introduced.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 4,112 
			 2007-08 4,112 
			 2008-09 4,112

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions he visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 5 June 2009, I have visited Scotland once and Wales once, in an official capacity. I have not visited Northern Ireland.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost to his Department was of provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Si�n Simon: The cost of provision of office facilities to special advisers and press officers in 2008-09 was as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Special advisers 20,520 
			 Press officers 71,910 
		
	
	Costs include an appropriate share of rent, business rates, service charges, utilities maintenance and accommodation management charges.

Digital Broadcasting: Complaints

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints he has received about digital switchover from residents of  (a) East Devon,  (b) Devon and (c) England.

Si�n Simon: The information requested is not held centrally in the manner requested; to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for the use of car radios with the digital switchover.

Si�n Simon: We have worked closely with vehicle manufacturers during the Digital Radio Working Group in 2008 and in the lead up to the Digital Britain White Paper to consider the impact of the digital radio switchover on motorists. In addition, we have agreed with the Consumer Expert Group to extend its remit to advise Government on a wide range of consumer issues relating to radio switchover. We will continue to work with these stakeholders as the digital radio switchover programme develops.
	We have also committed to a full cost benefit analysis of the digital radio switchover, including the impact on in-car listening, before any switchover date is set.

Digital Switchover Help Scheme

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Switchover Help Scheme for digital switchover has cost.

Ben Bradshaw: The Digital Switchover Help Scheme is funded through £603 million ringfenced within the TV licence fee income over the period of switchover.
	Switchover Help Scheme expenditure is published in the BBC's Annual Report and Accounts, published on the BBC website. As of 31 March 2009, the cumulative total spent by the Help Scheme was £29.5 million. This figure includes expenditure in 2007-08 and is net of £0.8 million received from those eligible people who are not in receipt of income related benefits and who therefore pay a £40 fee.

Driving

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are in place to ensure that staff who drive  (a) a vehicle for which (i) his Department and (ii) its executive agency is responsible have valid driving licences and  (b) their own vehicles in the course of their official duties for (A) his Department and (B) its executive agency have valid driving licences and insurance; what guidance is issued to those staff in respect of road safety while carrying out official duties; what steps are taken to monitor compliance with that guidance; what requirements there are on such staff to report to their line managers accidents in which they are involved while driving in the course of their official duties; and whether such reports are investigated.

Si�n Simon: The information requested is as follows:
	 Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	The Department currently does not have any vehicles for which it is directly responsible, and as such employees who choose to use motor travel for travel on official business must use their privately owned motor vehicle. If an employee chooses to use their vehicle, they must satisfy certain insurance conditions details of which are made on the Department's internal website. It is the employee's responsibility to ensure they understand and fulfil these conditions. Employees are required to declare when making claim for travel and subsistence that they know and understand the insurance requirements, and that they are covered accordingly. There is no requirement for employees to demonstrate that they are licensed to drive. No specific guidance is issued to employees on road safety, nor does the Department monitor compliance, however under the Civil Service Code, the Department does expect its employees to accord with the law at all times when on official business and should incidents arise behave appropriately. No accidents while driving on official business have been recorded, and there is no expectation that an employee will report an accident as the Department has been indemnified by the employee's insurance. Should the employee be injured in an accident, the employee will become subject to the Department's sickness absence policy.
	 The Royal Parks
	Staff in The Royal Parks (TRP) who are required to drive TRP vehicles must first undertake induction training. As part of the induction, staff must show a current valid driving licence. Thereafter Line Managers are required to monitor their staff for compliance with the training and inspect the driving licence once a year. Confirmation of the check is recorded. Accidents must be reported to the Line Manager and the Fleet Manager and each vehicle has a log book to record such occurrences. All accidents are investigated. Staff are not encouraged to use their own vehicles for work but exceptionally where they do they are required to confirm they have appropriate insurance as part of our reimbursement procedures.

UK School Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 37-38W, on the UK School Games, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the estimated final cost of the £3.3 million spent on the UK School Games in 2009.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Youth Sport Trust has confirmed that the final cost of the 2009 UK School Games was approximately £3.1 million. A breakdown of the expenditure is set out in the table:
	
		
			  2009 
			  Description  Cost (£) 
			  Event Management, Delivery and Planning 1,873,000 
			 Travel and accommodation 795,000 
			 Medical costs 60,000 
			 Catering 82,000 
			 Venue costs, Sports services-timing, equipment etc. 450,000 
			 Other-External staff, IT, printed materials, insurance, legal fees etc. 136,000 
			 Event management 350,000 
			   
			  Competition Step Change 675,000 
			 Development work-payments and support to national governing bodies 475,000 
			 Competition venues look, clothing and kit 200,000 
			   
			  Raise Profile and Promote PE and School Sport 227,000 
			 Event production, media, website etc. 227,000 
			   
			  Olympic/Paralympic spirit 190,000 
			 Work with British Olympic Foundation, including Athlete Village, ambassadors etc. 80,000 
			 Opening/closing ceremonies 110,000 
			   
			  Development of volunteering 50,000 
			 (Operational costs of volunteering are covered under event management)  
			   
			  Child Protection and Welfare 50,000 
			 Including work with NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit  
			   
			  Other  (Disability Commission, monitoring and evaluation, miscellaneous etc.) 45,000 
			   
			 Total expenditure 3,110,000

NORTHERN IRELAND

Children: Abuse

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions his Department has had with  (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and  (b) authorities in the Republic of Ireland on the implications for matters within his Department's responsibility of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse in the Republic of Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: To date neither I nor my officials have held discussions with either the NI Executive or the Irish Government on this subject. On 12 November the Minister for Health, Social Service and Public Safety copied me a letter that he had received from a solicitor in Northern Ireland concerning this matter.

Departmental Assets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assets of his Department are planned to be sold in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14; what the  (a) description and  (b) book value of each such asset is; what the expected revenue from each such sale is; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The assets of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), including its arms length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, that have either been sold or are planned to be sold in 2009-10 and 2010-11 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Description  Net book value at 31 March 2009  Actual/expected revenue 
			  2009-10 House 314,450 (1)300,000 
			  House 230,200 (1)227,000 
			  House 227,000 (1)190,000 
			  House 101,050 (1)97,000 
			  2010-11 House 177,300 (2)- 
			 (1) Sold (2) For Sale £177,300 
		
	
	Determining which assets will be sold in 2011-12 to 2013-14 will form part of the planning process for the next spending review.

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efficiency savings projects  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies put in place under the Operational Efficiency Programme; on what date each such project was initiated; how much each such project was expected to contribute to departmental savings; how much had been saved through each such project on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: There is no separate OEP target in this SR period beyond the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) savings of £125 million as part of our contribution to the CSR07 target of £35 billion, which is reported on in the Autumn Performance Report.
	In response to the Operational Efficiency Programme, the Department's Business Performance Review Team (BPRT) commenced a scoping study to consider the delivery of the Department's back office functions in September 2009. The study will include IT, Finance, Human Resources, Travel Services, Estates Management, Procurement, Legal Services, Information Services and current assets, including accommodation. The assessment will take into account current and future business, organisational, and customer requirements.
	The study may provide options for a series of future detailed operational reviews that will examine performance and make recommendations for measurable improvements in service delivery to include the simplification, standardisation, and rationalisation of functions to drive efficiency. Identified savings will contribute to the £9 billion which will be delivered in the next spending period.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year.

Paul Goggins: The cost to my Department in the 2008-09 year for maintaining the website was £6,456.00. As this is a contracted out service the anticipated costs for 2010-11 will be the same as 2008-09.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Shaun Woodward: In the Northern Ireland Office Core Department there are no scientific advisers or scientific posts.
	There are scientific posts in one of the Department's agencies, Forensic Science Northern Ireland. The requested information in relation to these posts is as follows:
	 (a) The Forensic Science Agency does not have specific scientific advisers,
	 (b) There are 144 civil servants, of which there are seven lead scientists, in scientific posts in the Forensic Science Agency.

Departmental Taxis

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what contracts his Department has with private hire taxi companies; and what expenditure his Department has incurred against each such contract in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO), including its arms length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, currently uses two contracts with private hire taxi companies. These contracts belong to the Department of Finance and Personnel in Belfast and the Cabinet Office in London. The names of the taxi companies cannot be disclosed for staff security reasons.
	The increase in expenditure on taxis in the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) followed a review in 2007 when the Department adopted a policy which made greater use of taxis rather than private hire cars. While this change in policy has led to an increase in the cost of taxis, it has generated estimated whole year net savings of £150,000
	The following table shows the total expenditure incurred by the NIO against these contracts in each of the last three years:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 34,716.05 
			 2007-08 49,555.89 
			 2008-09 111,766.27 
		
	
	Each member of staff is advised that, before any business related journey is made, the most cost effective means of transport must be considered. Where the use of public transport or private car is not possible or economic, then the journey may be made by taxi.
	The NIO keeps the cost of travel on official business under regular review.

Immobilisation of Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on (a) privately-owned and  (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office, including its arms length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has not made any payments in relation to vehicle clamping charges during the last 10 years.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many  (a) regular and  (b) full-time reserve police officers there have been in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001;
	(2)  what percentage of the budget of the Police Service of Northern Ireland is spent on administrative costs;
	(3)  how many police officers in Northern Ireland are assigned to duties other than front-line policing;
	(4)  how many attacks there have been on  (a) police officers,  (b) traffic wardens and  (c) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency workers in Northern Ireland in each year since 2005;
	(5)  how many disabled people are employed as  (a) regular police officers and  (b) full-time reservists in the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: These are operational matters for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and copies of his letters will be placed in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Fraud

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue lost to the Exchequer through alcohol fraud in the tax year  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Estimates of the loss of revenue arising from alcohol fraud across all alcoholic beverages are not available.
	Estimates of the spirits level of fraud in 2006-07 were published by HMRC in Measuring Indirect Tax Gaps-2008 in October 2008 which is available in the House of Commons Library. This is the most recent available estimate.

Alcoholic Drinks: Fraud

Angela Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on the HM Revenue and Customs strategy on alcohol fraud since April 2009.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury continually monitors alcohol fraud and other related issues, and any changes would be announced at the time of the pre-Budget Report.

Capital Gains Tax: Second Homes

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs takes to ensure that all second home owners who should pay capital gains tax do so.

Stephen Timms: Second homeowners self-assess their liability to capital gains tax (CGT) on the disposal of a second home. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) may inquire into returns where a disposal has been returned to check that the liability to tax is correct.
	In addition, HMRC uses external databases of property sales to identify disposals of properties where no gain on the disposal has been notified to the Department, but where there is no evidence that the property is the individual's main or only residence.
	The Department is currently running a project to check whether income and capital gains have been properly returned on certain types of property. To date, almost 4,500 cases with omitted disposals have been settled and around 2,500 cases are currently under inquiry.

Child Benefit

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of applications for child benefit were completed within  (a) four,  (b) eight and  (c) 12 weeks in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what guidelines he has issued in respect of the maximum number of weeks required to process applications for child benefit from  (a) all applicants and  (b) parents of adopted children.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available.
	For information on the time taken to pay new child benefit claims in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland (Dr. Kumar) on 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 894W; the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 356W; and the hon. Member for Glasgow, East (John Mason) on 27 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 1046-47W.
	HM Revenue and Customs aims to pay 66 per cent. of new child benefit claims in nine working days in 2009-10 and all claims in an average of 20 calendar days.

Child Benefit

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of applications for child benefit from parents of adopted children were processed within the target maximum number of weeks in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many applications for child benefit were received from parents of adopted children in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not record whether a child is adopted.

Child Care Vouchers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will set targets for the time taken by organisations to transfer child care voucher payments to childcare providers.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs does not administer any schemes to provide childcare vouchers to parents. As such, neither HMRC nor HMT are in a position to set targets of the nature requested.

Floods: Cumbria

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the uninsured losses incurred as a consequence of the recent floods in Cumbria;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people affected by the recent flood in Cumbria who were unable to obtain insurance for  (a) their buildings,  (b) the contents of their buildings and  (c) neither their buildings nor the contents of those buildings because of the risk of flooding to their properties; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: No such estimate has been made. However, the Government are sympathetic to those affected by the Cumbrian floods and have allocated an additional £1 million Community Recovery Fund towards the region.

KBR

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries since January 2009.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: No.

Members: Correspondence

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham of 28 July and 16 September 2009, sent on behalf of his constituent, Ms Jolanta Jones.

Stephen Timms: The letters were transferred upon receipt to the Department for Work and Pensions as the subject was the responsibility of that Department.

Public Expenditure

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue from each tax was raised by his Department from receipts in  (a) Wales,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Northern Ireland and  (d) England in each of the last five financial years; and how much such revenue was spent in each part of the UK in each such year.

Liam Byrne: Figures for tax receipts by tax at the UK level are set out in table C6 of the 2009 Budget Report (HC 407). A breakdown of all taxes by country is not available. Figures on public spending by country are published in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 7630).

Public Expenditure: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the first compensatory payments to be made in respect of Wales under the Barnett formula following his reconsideration of convergence in spending per head.

Liam Byrne: As the Secretary of State for Wales announced to Parliament on 26 November 2009, convergence in spending per head will be assessed in the next spending review although convergence is not currently expected.

Public Expenditure: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria his Department uses to determine whether Wales is disproportionately disadvantaged in the allocation of funding under the Barnett formula.

Liam Byrne: Identifiable public spending per head in Wales is 14 per cent. above England. Public spending has more than doubled since devolution. The Government will assess spending trends in the next spending review as announced by the Secretary of State for Wales on 26 November.

Public Expenditure: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the full assessment of the extent of convergence under the Barnett formula in respect of Wales as part of his evaluation of the relative position of Wales in respect of the level of funding allocated to parts of the UK under that formula to be published.

Liam Byrne: The Government will assess spending trends per head in the next spending review as announced to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Wales on 26 November.

Public Expenditure: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to undertake the first evaluation of the relative position of Wales in respect of the level of funding allocated to parts of the UK under the Barnett formula.

Liam Byrne: The Government will assess spending trends per head in the next spending review as announced to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Wales on 26 November.

Revenue and Customs

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) formal and  (b) informal consultations HM Revenue and Customs has run in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009; and which HM Revenue and Customs official has had oversight of each such consultation.

Stephen Timms: Details of HM Revenue and Customs' formal and informal consultations can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/consultations/index.htm
	Each consultation document includes contact details as well as a named Departmental Consultation Coordinator in line with the Government's Code of Practice on consultation.

Revenue and Customs: Labour Turnover

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the median length of service of HM Revenue and Customs full-time employees is in each region and country of the UK.

Stephen Timms: The median length of service of HM Revenue and Customs full-time employees in each region and country of the UK is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Region/country  Median length of service in years 
			 East 21 
			 East Midlands 18 
			 London 20 
			 North East 10 
			 North West 14 
			 South East 20 
			 South West 20 
			 West Midlands 20 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 19 
			   
			 England 18 
			 Northern Ireland 14 
			 Scotland 9 
			 Wales 20 
			   
			 United Kingdom 18

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made to the European Commission on the legal status of the furnished holiday letting rules.

Stephen Timms: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit Öpik) on 20 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1413W.

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal advice his Department took in advance of the decision to abolish tax relief on furnished holiday lettings.

Stephen Timms: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir) on 19 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1288W.

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the effect on the tourism industry of the abolition of  (a) the furnished holiday lettings rules and  (b) tax relief on furnished holiday lettings.

Stephen Timms: Treasury Ministers and officials hold discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
	An impact assessment will be published alongside the 2009 pre-Budget report together with draft legislation.

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial effect of the repeal of furnished holiday letting rules on persons operating holiday lets.

Stephen Timms: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb) on 26 October 2009,  Official Report, column 75W.

Taxation: Pensions

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of the £9 billion disregard for employer national insurance contributions to registered pension schemes in Table A3.1 of the 2009 Budget Red Book is attributable to higher rate taxpayers;
	(2)  what percentage of the £20.3 billion approved pension scheme tax relief for 2008-09 in Table A3.1 of the 2009 Budget in attributable to higher rate tax relief.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 7 May 2009,  Official Report, column 421W.
	It is not possible to provide such a breakdown for other components of the overall cost of registered pension scheme tax relief, nor is it possible to provide it for the disregard for employer national insurance contributions to registered pension schemes.

Tobacco

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he takes of the limits on the maximum quantities of  (a) cigarettes and  (b) hand-rolling tobacco which may be brought into other EU member states by an individual for personal consumption from within the EU in setting the limit on the maximum quantity which may be brought into the UK for personal consumption from other EU member states.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Under EU law, there are no limits on the quantities of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco private individuals can buy and take with them when they travel between EU countries, as long as the products purchased are for personal use and not for resale.
	To determine whether these products are for the own use of the traveller, Member States must take account of all relevant factors including the quantity of the products. As such, Member States may lay down guide levels, solely as a form of evidence, which cannot be lower than the following quantities: 800 cigarettes, 1 kg smoking tobacco. These levels are not limits, but simply an indicator that the goods may be intended for a commercial purpose.
	The UK has chosen a guide level of 3,200 cigarettes and 3 kg of hand-rolling tobacco. These levels represent around six months' usage for the average smoker.

VAT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has made an assessment of the likely effect on the economy of applying a reduced rate of value added tax to visitor attractions, accommodation and restaurants.

Stephen Timms: No such assessment has been made. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumer expenditure and reliefs from it have always been strictly limited. Where reduced rates are available, these are applied only where they provide the most well-targeted and cost-effective support for the Government's policy objectives, compared to other measures.

VAT

Stephen Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the merits of amending the rate at which Value Added Tax is charged on equipment for  (a) domestic renewable energy production and  (b) increasing levels of energy efficiency as a mechanism for encouraging the use of such equipment.

Stephen Timms: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumer expenditure and reliefs from it have always been strictly limited; the Government continue to keep all taxes under review.
	A value added tax rate of 5 per cent. applies to the domestic installation of certain renewable energy production technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, air and ground source heat pumps and wood fuelled boilers. However, when such technologies are bought for do-it-yourself installation purposes, the standard VAT rate (currently of 15 per cent.) instead applies.
	European VAT agreements do not currently allow a reduced VAT rate for the do-it-yourself installation of renewable energy production technologies or indeed for any products or materials designed to help increase levels of energy efficiency.
	The Government continue to make the case for changes to these European agreements to allow for a wider application of reduced VAT rates to energy-efficient products and energy-saving materials.

VAT: Postal Services

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the written ministerial statement of 9 November 2009,  Official Report, column 1WS, on ECOFIN, what political guidelines will be used to determine whether the UK will be required to impose value added tax on postal services.

Stephen Timms: The VAT treatment of postal services was not discussed at the ECOFIN meeting held on 10 November, although it is on the agenda of the ECOFIN meeting to be held on 2 December.
	The UK believes that supplies made by the public postal services should continue to be exempt from VAT.

Working Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of enabling claimants of the childcare element of the working tax credit to continue to receive it for 12 weeks after they are made redundant; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: In light of the complex analysis required, an estimate would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Working Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unemployed people were claiming the childcare element of the working tax credit in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available. working tax credit, including the child care element, is generally conditional upon a lone parent, or each member of a couple, working at least 16 hours a week. However, payment may continue for a period of four weeks where the hours a person works fall below 16 hours a week, or if they stop work.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's programmes in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: DFID's latest Afghanistan Country Programme Evaluation was published in May 2009 and is available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Where-we-work/Asia-South/Afghanistan/

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year.

Michael Foster: For the cost of maintaining the Department for International Development's (DFID's) website in 2008-09 I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 832W.
	The DFID website is maintained in house from existing resources. The Department is also responsible for the Developments magazine website and the Research4Development websites. Projected costs for these two websites are £566,512.

Departmental Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments his Department has made to  (a) Brunswick Group,  (b) Weber Shandwick,  (c) LLM Communications,  (d) Financial Dynamics,  (e) Cubitt Consulting and  (f) Bell Pottinger Public Affairs in the last 12 months; for what purpose; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each contract under which such payments have been made.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not made any payments to the listed organisations in the last 12 months.

United Nations: Females

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2009,  Official Report, column 27W, on the United Nations: females, if his Department will prepare a list of UK women nationals to be considered for nomination to senior positions on  (a) the Committee on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and  (b) the United Nations Agency for Women.

Michael Foster: The UK Government are committed to promoting a good quality field of candidates for the heads and senior leadership of all institutional institutions. In all cases we will promote open, transparent and merit-based processes. In some cases we may wish to promote a UK candidate where they are best qualified for the post. We have no plans to promote a UK candidate for either of these two appointments.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many coalition helicopters which can be called on by UK forces are available in Helmand province; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: It is not possible to provide details of the numbers of helicopters available to UK forces in Helmand province for operational security reasons; the release of this information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of our armed forces.
	I can confirm that, in addition to our own helicopters, we draw on helicopter assets provided by our allies, including the Dutch, Canadians, Australians and Americans. Helicopter support to international security assistance force operations in southern Afghanistan is provided from a multi-national pool of helicopters allocated by regional command (south).

Armed Forces: Cadets

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding his Department has provided to the  (a) Air and  (b) Sea Cadets in each year since 1997; and how much such funding has been allocated for each of the next two years.

Kevan Jones: In broad terms, the MOD spends approximately one in every 250 defence pounds on Cadets. The Air Cadet Organisation (ACO) has received the following funding from the Department:
	
		
			  Period  Amount received (£ million) 
			 1997-08 18 
			 1998-09 19 
			 1999-2000 18 
			 2000-01 19 
			 2001-02 20 
			 2002-03 22 
			 2003-04 25 
			 2004-05 27 
			 2005-06 28 
			 2006-07 31 
			 2007-08 26 
			 2008-09 23 
			 2009-10 23 
		
	
	The figure for 2006-07 includes a funding allocation of £1.6 million for infrastructure modernisation and an Adult Volunteer Recruitment Campaign.
	With effect from FY 2008-09 the funding of works services (comprising maintenance, refurbishment and replacement of the ACO estate of over 1,000 buildings) was transferred to Defence Estates and no longer falls within the ACO budget. Service manpower pay (estimated at approximately £3 million currently) was, from FY 2007-08, transferred to the Single Point Accounting system covering all RAF personnel and thus no longer forms part of the ACO budget. These funding allocations have been changed to reflect a more efficient way of paying for essential elements. The overall level of funding provided for cadet activities has not fallen and reflects our continued commitment to the Air Cadet Organisation.
	The Marine Society and Sea Cadets are a registered charity and are supported by the MOD through a Grant in Aid. Figures prior to 2006 are not held in the format requested and could only be provided through a manual search of earlier records at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Period  Amount received (£ million) 
			 2006-07 8.3 
			 2007-08 8.4 
			 2008-09 8.7 
			 2009-10 9.0 
		
	
	In respect of future allocations, the available resources for Defence expenditure are set during spending rounds. The most recent comprehensive spending review set the Department's budget for the financial years 2008-11.
	Departmental expenditure plans for 2010-11 and beyond have not yet been agreed.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Mastiff 2 armoured vehicles are  (a) deployed in Afghanistan,  (b) owned by his Department and  (c) on order.

Kevan Jones: I am withholding details on the number of Mastiff 2 protected vehicles deployed in Afghanistan as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. As at 23 November 2009, the Department owned 163 Mastiff 2s, with a further 35 on order.

Chelsea Barracks

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what specific purposes revenue raised from the sale of Chelsea barracks in 2007-08 has been allocated.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave on 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2074W. There is no specific link between disposal receipts and individual elements of defence expenditure. Exceptionally, however, the disposal of Chelsea barracks for a total of £959 million, was included in the plans of the Department and underpinned investment in service accommodation of £250 million in 2007-08.
	It was agreed as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review that a further £550 million should be invested over the following three years with plans for the balance of the proceeds of £159 million, to be agreed with HM Treasury as part of the next spending review.
	The disposal of Chelsea barracks has, therefore, secured the major investment in service accommodation through Project SLAM (single living accommodation modernisation), the service housing upgrade programme and many other significant accommodation projects in the UK and overseas to improve the living conditions for our service personnel.

Chinook Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to upgrade former USAF CH-47D Chinook helicopters to the UK configuration.

Bill Rammell: The UK does not own any former USAF CH-47D Chinook helicopters and therefore has no plans to upgrade any of them to the current UK configuration.

Chinook Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to purchase new Chinook helicopters; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: We have made clear in recent months that we are re-examining our future helicopter plans. We anticipate concluding this work shortly and will make any announcements thereafter. In the meantime, options for replacement for the two Chinook recently lost on operations are currently being pursued, and we are continuing to take measures to improve the capability of our Chinook fleet. This includes fitting the entire fleet with more powerful engines and modern avionic and cockpit displays, enhancing its ability to operate in the toughest of operational conditions. The delivery of eight reverted Chinook Mk3s in 2010 will also provide the Chinook fleet with increased resilience and the capacity to increase our heavy lift capability on operations.

Colombia: Military Aid

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park of 24 November 1999,  Official Report, column 115W, on Colombia, when the UK ceased to provide the Colombian security forces with advisory visits and information exchanges on counter-guerilla strategy.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 23 November 2009
	The answer cited in the hon. Member's question refers to an element of a UK Army visit, which took place in 1997. The UK has not subsequently provided any specific counter-guerrilla or counter-insurgency assistance to the Colombian security forces.

Defence Support Group

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to sell the Defence Support Group; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: We have no current plans to sell the Defence Support Group.

Defence: International Cooperation

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with other members of the European Defence Agency on joining the joint airlift capability.

Bob Ainsworth: The European Defence Agency's work on military strategic airlift is known as the European Air Transport Fleet (EATF) programme. We hold discussions with allies regularly on defence matters, including on the EATF. The UK's position, confirmed at formal European Defence Agency meetings, is that we have no current plans to participate in the EATF programme. We will continue to monitor the programme and keep our position under review.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) page hits and  (b) visitors his Department's website received in 2008-09.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence and armed forces collectively maintain four corporate websites. The number of page views and visitors during 2008-09 is detailed as follows. This analysis complies with the guidance issued by the Central Office of Information (COI) on the methodology for identifying website usage in response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Sixteenth Report. This guidance can be found at the following link;
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubacc/143/14302.htm
	
		
			  Website  URL  Page impressions  Unique visitors/browsers 
			 MOD corporate website(1) www.mod.uk 27,201,182 3,732,511 
			 Royal Navy www.royalnavy.mod.uk 52,415,075 5,693,784 
			 British Army www.army.mod.uk 68,670516 8,702,424 
			 Royal Air Force www.raf.mod.uk 87,536,440 16,109,392 
			 (1) Page impression figure includes robot/spider activity. 
		
	
	A number of other websites are run by different parts of the Ministry of Defence, but these are not managed centrally, and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department incurred on the employment of special advisers to Ministers in the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2008-09 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 July 2009,  Official Report, column 74WS.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the capital receipts in respect of Northern Ireland referred to in his Winter Supplementary Estimate for 2009-10 were lower than in his Department's estimates for 2008-09.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The difference between the main estimates and those at winter supplementary estimates is because the Government have decided to gift, subject to parliamentary approval, a number of sites in Northern Ireland, which are no longer required for defence purposes, to the Northern Ireland Executive. The MOD has agreed £15 million capital relief from HM Treasury in respect of the consequent reduction in receipts.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what budget headings funding from the non-budget non-voted grants-in-aid to the  (a) Council of Reserve Forces and Cadets Association,  (b) National Army Museum and  (c) Royal Hospital Chelsea referred to in his Department's Winter Supplementary Estimate for 2009-10 will be spent.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The additional sums sought in the Winter Supplementary Estimate cover the following:
	 (a) Reserve Forces and Cadets Association relates to the maintenance budget for the Volunteer Estate which was finalised too late for inclusion in the Main Estimates. The balance was for additional in-year staff and IT costs for the Association, vehicle provision for the Army Cadet Force and utility and other support costs for the Volunteer estate.
	 (b) National Army Museum Costs were for replacement boilers, removal of asbestos and staff costs.
	 (c) Royal Hospital Chelsea covers higher utilities, superannuation costs and maintenance of the infirmary and care of pensioners in the Margaret Thatcher infirmary.
	These costs are additional to the grants given in main estimates which covered pay and the general running costs of the organisations such as utilities, maintenance, works plus minor capital items.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department was of provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD's Press Office and Special Advisers are provided with office facilities within the main building, the costs of which cannot be separately identified. No specific or additional provision was made for these facilities in Financial Year 2008-09.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Kevan Jones: The MOD has 56 scientific adviser posts providing direct advice to military commanders on a number of operations. Seven civil service scientists are currently deployed to Afghanistan. Scientific advisers are part of a community of an estimated 3,000 scientific posts within the civil service in the MOD and its Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) trading fund.

Hercules Aircraft: Training

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the contract for the construction of the building to house the C130J simulator at RAF Brize Norton to be signed.

Kevan Jones: It is anticipated that the contract for the C130J Training and Mission Rehearsal Facility at RAF Brize Norton, which will eventually house the C130J Flight Simulators and other training facilities currently at RAF Lyneham, will be awarded early next year.

Immobilisation of Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has paid in vehicle clamping charges incurred on  (a) privately-owned and  (b) publicly-owned land in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: MOD policy is that the driver is responsible for paying fines, including clamping, speeding and parking.
	The Department has not, therefore, paid any such charges.

Iraq: Interpreters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what protection is provided for translators previously engaged by UK forces in Iraq.

Bob Ainsworth: We take our responsibilities to the Iraqi interpreters who worked with UK forces in Iraq extremely seriously.
	As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in his statement of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 23, we introduced a policy that allowed eligible former Iraqi interpreters to settle in the UK through the Gateway protection programme. Currently some 589 Iraqi interpreters and their families, including those used by the other employing departments based in Iraq, have chosen to settle in the UK under this programme.

Merlin Helicopters: Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have taken part in Exercise Merlin Vortex.

Bill Rammell: Exercise Merlin Vortex was a pre-deployment training exercise to prepare the Merlin force for deployment to Afghanistan. Four hundred and twenty-two service personnel took part in the exercise, comprising 177 aircrew and 245 ground support staff. In addition, the exercise was supported by two civilian doctors.
	The deployment of the Merlin force to Afghanistan began in November and will be complete by the end of 2009.

Military Aircraft

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) army,  (b) Royal Air Force and  (c) Royal Navy fixed-wing aircraft are based in the UK.

Kevan Jones: The following table gives the total number of Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force manned fixed-wing aircraft that are based in the UK as at 31 October 2009. The total Harrier GR9 and Hawk fleets, which are operated by both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force units, are included in the Royal Air Force column. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and contractor owned fleets are not included.
	
		
			  Service  Total number of UK based manned aircraft 
			 Royal Navy 9 
			 Army 16 
			 Royal Air Force 820 
		
	
	A proportion of the Army and Royal Air Force manned United Kingdom based fixed-wing fleet are currently deployed outside the UK on expeditionary operations.

Military Alliances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) detail and  (b) scope is of the defence agreements between the UK and (i) Abu Dhabi and (ii) the United Arab Emirates.

Kevan Jones: holding answer 30 November 2009
	 The UK has a Defence Cooperation Accord (DCA) with UAE signed in 1996 by the then Secretary of State, which sets out our arrangements for security co-operation. Earlier this year we also agreed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE armed forces which cover arrangements for UK forces to utilise air bases in the UAE, including for some sustainment flights to Afghanistan. We do not have any separate agreements or arrangements with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Puma Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first upgraded HC2 Puma helicopters will enter service; and by what date the entire fleet will be upgraded.

Kevan Jones: The first Puma Mk2 aircraft will enter squadron service in 2012. The upgrade of the entire fleet is planned to complete in 2014.

Puma Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department is of the upgrade programme to Puma helicopters; and what the cost per upgraded helicopter is.

Kevan Jones: The Puma HC Mk2 Demonstration and Manufacture phase is expected to cost some £300 million. This includes the one-off costs associated with developing the required modifications and undertaking the trials activity necessary to certify the aircraft; the provision of initial support and conversion training for aircrew and maintainers; and the cost of modifying each helicopter. Each aircraft will cost in the order of £10 million to upgrade taking into account the above one-off costs.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the terms of reference are of the current review of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: This is a new Value for Money Study, the terms of reference for which have not yet been agreed.

Wildcat Helicopters

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the delivery of the new Wildcat helicopters ordered by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Lynx Wildcat project remains on track to meet its time, cost and performance targets. There has been no escalation in price and the planned in-service date remains at January 2014. The first flight of the trials aircraft took place successfully on 12 November 2009.

PRIME MINISTER

Christmas

Roger Williams: To ask the Prime Minister how many Christmas parties his Office plans to host in 2009; what has been budgeted for each such reception; what estimate he has made of the proportion of  (a) lamb,  (b) beef,  (c) chicken,  (d) pork,  (e) turkey,  (f) other meats,  (g) vegetables,  (h) fruit and  (i) alcohol to be served at each such function which is produced in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Kevin Brennan) on 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 582W.
	Information on official and charity receptions held at 10 Downing Street is published by means of an annual list as soon as it is ready at the end of the financial year.

Commonwealth

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what his policy is on the role of the UK in the Commonwealth;
	(2)  what bilateral meetings he plans to hold during the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago;
	(3)  what objectives he has set for the outcome of the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 30 November 2009,  Official Report, column 113WS.

Departmental Meetings

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister which  (a) individuals other than Ministerial colleagues and officials of his Office and  (b) organisations he met in an official capacity in the week commencing 9 November 2009.

Gordon Brown: I had meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals.

Departmental Rail Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he last travelled by train in the course of his official duties.

Gordon Brown: I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements, including regular use of trains. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.

Trinidad and Tobago: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many civil servants he expects to accompany him to the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago;
	(2)  which Ministers he expects to accompany him to the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

Gordon Brown: Information on all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 is published on an annual basis. Information for 2009-10 will be published in the normal way.

Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  which Ministers accompanied him to the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda;
	(2)  how many civil servants accompanied him to the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the annual list of overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers, costing in excess of £500, for 2007-08, published by the Government. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Maintenance

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for the Child Support Agency to pass on to resident parents payments which are not administered by means of electronic transfer.

Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for the Child Support Agency to pass on to resident parents payments which are not administered by means of electronic transfer.
	When the CSA receive the child maintenance payment from the non-resident parent by an electronic transfer it takes up to one day to process the payment and pass it on to the parent with care. Where a cheque is received it can take up to three days to clear.
	Parents with care are encouraged to receive maintenance payments from the CSA by electronic transfer into their bank accounts, rather than by cheque which can take two days to produce and then be posted to the parent with care before the funds can be drawn.
	The CSA's preferred method of payment for non-resident parents using the collection service is direct debit or a deduction from earnings order, since both are significantly more reliable and resilient than other methods. The benefits of using direct debit or a deduction from earnings are promoted when agreeing a method of payment with non-resident parents.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Visits Abroad

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what overseas visits she has undertaken since taking up her post.

Jim Knight: I can confirm that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has not undertaken any overseas visits since taking up her post.

Disability Living Allowance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether she has plans to direct parents in receipt of out-of-work benefits with children who  (a) are in receipt of an award of disability living allowance mobility component and  (b) have an award of disability living allowance under appeal to undertake work-related activity.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 30 November 2009
	 We announced during passage of the Welfare Reform Act 2009 that parents with a child in receipt of any rate of care component of disability living allowance will be exempt from the requirement to undertake work-related activity while claiming income support.
	Those with children in receipt of the mobility component of disability living allowance, but no care component, will be required to undertake work related activity.
	Some parents will be exempt from work-related activity, including those with a child in receipt of any level care component of disability living allowance. If an award of disability living allowance is removed we will require the parent to undertake work-related activity.

Disability Living Allowance: Lone Parents

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  for what reasons she has decided to exempt lone parents from benefit conditionality when their child is receiving the care component of disability living allowance; when she intends to bring forward regulations setting out the exemptions; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  for what reasons she has decided not to exempt from benefit conditionality lone parents of children receiving the mobility component of disability living allowance; when she intends to bring forward regulations setting out the exemptions; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: Under existing regulations, lone parents who would otherwise be required to claim jobseeker's allowance, but who have a child in receipt of the highest or middle rate care component of disability living allowance, are not required to be available for work in return for benefit. The entitlement conditions to the care component of disability living allowance lay out clear expectations of, at a minimum, a requirement for attention for a significant portion of the day, some or all of which could be expected to be carried out by a parent.
	We announced during the passage of the Welfare Reform Act 2009 that lone parents with a child in receipt of any rate of care component of disability living allowance would be exempted from the requirement to undertake work-related activity while claiming income support. Work-related activity will be piloted initially in four areas, and we will bring forward the relevant regulations in the new year.
	With respect to the mobility component of disability living allowance, the effect on a parent's availability to undertake work-related activity is less. The higher rate does not attach itself to a requirement for help from another person, and although the lower rate component requires guidance or supervision from another person when out of doors, unlike with care component there is no minimum threshold for the time or effort required to guide or supervise a child. We are therefore not providing for a blanket exemption from work-related activity or, in due course, availability for work. However, a decision-maker must, under the Welfare Reform Act 2009, take into account health and disability issues when considering whether there is good cause for failure to comply with a direction to undertake work-related activity or, in due course, for turning down a job; and the issue should have been taken into account before this, in agreeing an action plan or, in due course, a jobseeker's agreement that takes into account the wellbeing of the child.

Employment and Support Allowance: Dartford

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dartford who have submitted claims for employment and support allowance since its introduction have appealed against the outcome of the work capability assessment  (a) successfully and  (b) unsuccessfully.

Jonathan R Shaw: Data on appeals against the work capability assessment decision are held at regional level and figures for the south-east region are provided. For people in the south-east who started an employment and support allowance claim since its introduction in October 2008 up to February 2009, who were found fit for work at the work capability assessment and have submitted and completed an appeal the figures are:
	Successful appeals: 100
	Unsuccessful appeals: 120
	These figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and are consistent with the national figures published in October 2009.
	Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to Tribunals Service and heard, a very limited volume of appeals heard data are held currently. Volumes will increase in the coming months as more appeals are processed giving a more robust picture of appeal volumes and outcomes.

Employment and Support Allowance: Dartford

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dartford who have submitted claims for employment and support allowance since its introduction have  (a) not met the work capability assessment qualification criteria,  (b) met the work capability assessment criteria for the work-related activity group and  (c) met the work capability assessment qualification criteria for the support group.

Jonathan R Shaw: Data on outcomes from the medical assessment process for Employment and Support Allowance claims are held at regional level and figures for the South East region are provided. For people in the South East who started an employment and support allowance claim since its introduction in October 2008 up to February 2009 and who completed the assessment process the figures are:
	Number of people found fit for work: 5,400
	Number of people in the work related activity group: 2,700
	Number of people in the support group: 1,100
	These figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and are consistent with the national figures published in October 2009.
	These data should be considered as provisional since they are based on recorded advice from ATOS Healthcare, rather than the decision maker's final determination. The final outcomes of cases may change. This will be further compounded by reconsiderations following additional medical evidence and the outcomes of appeals. Full guidance on the national figures is included in the published statistics.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the reply from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 30 September 2009, when the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will reply to the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding a constituent.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 23 November 2009
	 The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the reply from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 30 September 2009 when the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will reply to the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding a constituent.
	As details about individual cases are confidential I have written to you separately about this case.

Poverty

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the proportion of  (a) children,  (b) people and  (c) elderly people in (i) rural areas and (ii) England who live in poverty.

Helen Goodman: Estimates of the numbers of people, elderly people and children in rural areas living in poverty are derived from the Family Resources Survey produced by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Survey is available on the Department's website and a copy is also in the Library:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/2007_08/frs_2007_08_report.pdf
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion of various groups below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income in 2007-08 for rural areas and England, before housing costs 
			  Percentage 
			   Rural  England 
			 Children 16 22 
			 Pensioners 21 23 
			 All individuals 15 18 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Proportion of various groups below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income in 2007-08 for rural areas and England, after housing costs 
			  Percentage 
			   Rural  England 
			 Children 25 32 
			 Pensioners 17 18 
			 All individuals 19 23 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of children, pensioners and individuals in low income have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.

Poverty: Children

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of children have been in poverty in accordance with the Government's definition of child poverty in each  (a) year since 1999 and  (b) of the last eight quarters.

Helen Goodman: Poverty statistics, published in the households below average income series, are only produced on an annual basis therefore quarterly information is not available.
	The Government's measures of child poverty are:
	The number of children in relative low income households defined as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent of contemporary median income, before housing costs (shown in table 1).
	The number of children in absolute low-income households defined as living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of median income held constant in real terms, before housing costs (shown in table 2).
	The number of children in relative low-income households and in material deprivation defined as families with a material deprivation score of 25 or more and a household income below 70 per cent. contemporary median income, before housing costs (shown in table 3). Note that this information is only available from 2004-05.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number and percentage of children in the United Kingdom living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, 1999-2000 to 2007-08, before housing costs 
			   Before housing costs 
			  Period  Number (million)  Percentage 
			 1999-2000 3.4 26 
			 2000-01 3.1 23 
			 2001-02 3.0 23 
			 2002-03 2.9 23 
			 2003-04 2.9 22 
			 2004-05 2.7 21 
			 2005-06 2.8 22 
			 2006-07 2.9 22 
			 2007-08 2.9 23 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number and percentage of children in the United Kingdom living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median income held constant in real terms, 1999-2000 to 2007-08, before housing costs 
			   Before housing costs 
			  Period  Number (million)  Percentage 
			 1999-2000 3.1 23 
			 2000-01 2.5 19 
			 2001-02 2.0 15 
			 2002-03 1.8 14 
			 2003-04 1.8 14 
			 2004-05 1.7 13 
			 2005-06 1.6 13 
			 2006-07 1.7 13 
			 2007/08 1.7 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Percentage and number of children in the United Kingdom falling below thresholds of low income and material deprivation, 2004-05 to 2007-08 
			   Before housing costs 
			  Period  Number (million)  Percentage 
			 2004-05 2.2 17 
			 2005-06 2.1 16 
			 2006-07 2.0 16 
			 2007-08 2.2 17 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI), sourced from the Family Resources Survey. The Family Resources Survey is available in the Library. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for HBAI figures are single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions' publication HBAI series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the HBAI series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of children in low income have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. 7. Proportions of children in low income have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 8. A family is in low income and material deprivation if they have a material deprivation score of 25 or more and a household income below 70 per cent. contemporary median income, before housing costs. Figures before 2004-05 are not available.

Poverty: Farmers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate her Department has made of the number of farmers in England who live in poverty.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	In 2007-08 for England, 25 per cent. of farm households were below the modified low income threshold (gross income before housing costs).

Social Security Benefits: Elderly

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on the  (a) care and  (b) mobility component of (i) attendance and (ii) disability living allowance for people over 65 in England in (A) 2007-08 and (B) 2008-09.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 23 November 2009
	 The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Expenditure on the care/mobility component of attendance allowance and disability living allowance for claimants aged 65 and over in England 
			  £ million 
			   In cash terms  In 2009-10 prices 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Disability living allowance: care component 885 983 916 993 
			 Disability living allowance: mobility component 1,179 1,270 1,220 1,283 
			 Attendance allowance: care component 3,675 3,924 3,804 3,963 
			  Notes: 1. Claimants on disability living allowance may receive both a care and mobility component. 2. Attendance allowance does not have a mobility component.  Source: DWP Statistical and Accounting Data

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many eligible  (a) men and  (b) women have not received backdated winter fuel payments in respect of previous years.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 30 November 2009
	 The information requested is not available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Energy Security

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had in the General Affairs Council on policy to improve EU energy security; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The September General Affairs and External Relations Council reconfirmed security of energy supply as a priority and reviewed progress. The October European Council endorsed initiatives to diversify supplies, increase energy efficiency and improve functioning of EU energy markets. A new EU Energy Action Plan is planned for 2010.

Gaza

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the opening of border crossings into Gaza.

Ivan Lewis: The UK continues to call on the Government of Israel to open the crossings into Gaza more fully. The Prime Minister raised this directly with the Israeli Prime Minister on 15 October 2009; I did the same on 27 October 2009 with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister. Securing better access to Gaza will remain a priority for the Government.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on nuclear non-proliferation policy.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed nuclear non-proliferation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in London on 11 October 2009. Mrs. Clinton said after that meeting that British leadership had been pivotal in the run up to the historic Security Council session chaired by President Barack Obama on 24 September 2009, which unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1887 and committed us to work toward a world without nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on nuclear non-proliferation policy.

Ivan Lewis: I regularly discuss nuclear non-proliferation with EU colleagues most recently with Guido Westerwelle, the new German Foreign Minister, last month. It is important that EU member states collectively and individually work to ensure the success of next year's Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on nuclear non-proliferation policy.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly discuss nuclear non-proliferation with EU colleagues, most recently with Guido Westerwelle, the new German Foreign Minister, last month. It is important that EU member states collectively and individually work to ensure the success of next year's Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Nuclear Non-proliferation

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest assessment is of the prospects for progress towards disarmament and non-proliferation at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in 2010.

Chris Bryant: There are clear indications that the mood is changing. The UN Security Council Summit and Resolution 1887 of 24 September 2009 showed the international community united in support of creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons and for strengthening the non-proliferation framework. The Government will continue to work hard to re-energise international consensus to ensure a successful review conference next May.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Ivan Lewis: The Inclusive Government continue to make encouraging progress on economic reform. But we are disappointed by the slow pace of political reform, spasmodic violence and the continuation of human rights abuses. The recent Southern African Development Community summit in Mozambique confirmed regional commitment to pushing for further implementation of the Global Political Agreement. That is encouraging: but the proof will be in the delivery. We urge the Zimbabwean political parties to comply.

Pakistan: Terrorism

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on combating terrorism.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had a number of recent conversations with key Government of Pakistan counterparts on countering terrorism, notably with President Zardari in Kabul on 19 November 2009, and in a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Qureshi on 23 November 2009. We continue to discuss areas of mutual counter terrorism cooperation.

EU Membership: Referendum

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the merits of holding a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Chris Bryant: The UK has a Parliament whose Members are elected to take decisions that affect the nation. There has to be a strong reason to have a referendum in the UK. There was no referendum on our entry into the then European Community in 1973: that decision was made by our democratically-elected Parliament.

Middle East Peace Process

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of progress in the middle east peace process; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This is a challenging time. People feel frustrated that negotiations have not yet been re-launched. But we must not give up hope. Negotiations are the only way to achieve a two-state solution. The US remains committed to this goal, and it has our full support. We want the recent Israeli announcement to become a step on the way to the resumption of meaningful negotiations.

St. Helena

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will visit St. Helena to discuss its strategic importance to the UK.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to visit St. Helena.
	I will meet St. Helena Councillor Gunnell on 7 and 9 December 2009 during the Overseas Territories Consultative Council meeting. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials remain in regular contact with St. Helena officials.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Environment Protection

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account was taken of the UN International Law of the Sea in respect of his Department's proposal to establish a Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area.

Chris Bryant: No decision has yet been taken on whether a Marine Protected Area will be established in the British Indian Ocean Territory. A decision will be taken following the public consultation which is currently underway. Any Marine Protected Area that may be established will be compliant with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Environment Protection

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what geographic limits have been set for the enforceable implementation of the proposed Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area.

Chris Bryant: No decision has yet been taken on whether a Marine Protected Area will be established in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). A decision will be taken following the public consultation which is at present underway. The geographic extent of protection will depend on which, if any, of the options for the fisheries is decided upon.
	The maximum limit of any Marine Protected Area in the BIOT would be within the 200 nautical miles radius of the Environmental Preservation and Protection Zone of the BIOT. This zone was established by formal Proclamation No. 1 of 17 September 2003 and issued by the Commissioner for BIOT. A copy of the Proclamation, together with copies of the relevant charts and co-ordinates was deposited with the UN on 12 March 2004 in accordance with Article 75, paragraph 2 of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, and can be viewed at the following link:
	http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONAND TREATIES/STATEFILES/GBR.htm

British Petroleum

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates representatives of his Department have met executives of BP plc in each year since 2002.

Ivan Lewis: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and staff at all levels are in regular contact with representatives of BP in the UK and overseas.
	In light of such regular and global contacts, the cost of providing the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

Colombia

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will restart his Department's programme of human rights training and assistance for senior military personnel in Colombia.

Chris Bryant: No.

Convention on Cluster Munitions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the UK will ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Ivan Lewis: On 3 December my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on behalf of the UK. Before the UK can proceed with ratifying the Convention legislation is necessary to implement in UK law the Convention's prohibitions on the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. On 19 November 2009 the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill was introduced in the House of Lords. This Bill would implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibitions. It is the Government's aim to ratify the Convention as soon as possible following the Act's entry into force.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many allegations his Department has received of ill-treatment of asylum seekers returned from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the last four years; and how many inquiries his Department has carried out into such allegations in each such year.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not record the number of allegations of ill-treatment of individuals who return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
	The FCO and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) do not proactively monitor the treatment of individuals who return to the DRC, unless there are exceptional circumstances that warrant doing so. Where specific allegations are made that a returning asylum seeker has experienced ill-treatment, then these allegations are investigated jointly by the UKBA and the FCO.
	The best way to avoid ill-treatment is to make sure that we do not return those who are at real risk. The DRC authorities' treatment of returning failed asylum seekers to the DRC has been covered as a discrete issue in numerous immigration appeal decisions over the past five years, all of which have held that returned failed asylum seekers are not at risk of persecution on account of having claimed asylum in the UK.
	On 3 December 2008, the Court of Appeal upheld an Asylum and Immigration Tribunal finding that there is no evidence that failed asylum seekers who are returned from the UK to DRC face a risk of persecution on return. We remain satisfied that failed asylum seekers are at no greater risk of being singled out for questioning by the authorities than any other DRC national returning to the country after time spent away.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criminal offences have been  (a) abolished and  (b) created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since 1 May 2008.

Chris Bryant: In primary legislation sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1 May 2008 no offences have been abolished.
	The Geneva Conventions and UN Personnel (Protocols) Act 2009 (i) amends the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 to provide protection under the criminal law in respect of grave breaches of the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, involving the misuse of the new humanitarian emblem, the Red Crystal and (ii) amends the United Nations Personnel Act 1997 to provide that offences under that Act will also apply to attacks against UN workers involved in delivering humanitarian, political or development assistance, as required by the 2005 Optional Protocol to the Convention in the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has one Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA), Professor David Clary FRS, appointed in August 2009. Professor Clary is supported by two civil servants, consisting of the Head of CSA Office and 50 per cent. of a shared Personal Assistant.
	The joint FCO-Department for Business Innovation and Skills (DBIS) Science and Innovation Network (SIN) has approximately 90 full-time equivalent staff, including locally engaged staff, in 40 cities across 25 countries. Of these, 18 are UK civil servants.
	SIN officers are scientifically literate staff based in FCO Posts, mainly in countries with the greatest science and innovation activities. They do not necessarily come from a science background. The UK management team for the SIN are based in the International Science and Innovation Unit at DBIS.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with his  (a) German and  (b) French counterpart on the appointment of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy before the appointment was made.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had regular contact with his French and German opposite numbers on a range of Lisbon treaty implementation issues, including on the appointment of the High Representative.

Europe: Politics and Government

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on an  (a) Hamas funding of minority parties in Eastern and Central Europe and  (b) the potential for such parties to participate in coalition governments in EU member and partner states in the period to 2014.

Ivan Lewis: We have had no such discussions.

Hanslope Park

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to encourage staff working at Hanslope Park to  (a) use public transport and  (b) car share to minimise congestion on roads around the site during rush hour.

Chris Bryant: There is currently no viable option for staff wishing to commute to Hanslope Park by public transport. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) operate a car share scheme at Hanslope Park and at last count in April 2008, 19.2 per cent. of staff commuted in a shared vehicle.
	We are preparing a travel plan for Hanslope Park to further reduce the proportion of staff commuting to the site in single occupancy vehicles, including by re-examining the car share scheme.
	We are improving facilities for cyclists at Hanslope Park and will introduce the 'Cycle to Work' purchase scheme for all UK FCO staff in the new year.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs: President of The European Council

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process by which the proposed President of the European Council and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy were selected.

Chris Bryant: The elected leaders of the 27 member states of the EU came together in the European Council and decided unanimously to appoint Herman Van Rompuy as President of the European Council, and Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland as High Representative.

India: Religious Freedom

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken with the Government of India to assist in the protection of Christians in Orissa.

Ivan Lewis: The Government have not provided assistance to the Government of India for the protection of Christians in Orissa. The Department for International Development is providing £10 million for community development in Orissa through the Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme from 2004-10. The programme has helped to increase incomes, reduce malnutrition and improve water and sanitation for over 375,000 tribal men and women in four districts of Orissa, including Kandhamal.
	Our high commission in New Delhi is also supporting a pilot project to improve access to justice in Kandhamal by improving awareness of citizens' rights and the capacity of lawyers to effectively pursue cases for victims of the communal violence in 2008.

Iran

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any recent representations to the Iranian authorities on the continued use of the death penalty in that country.

Ivan Lewis: The UK has ongoing concerns about the number of executions in Iran and in particular its use against juvenile offenders. We are committed to speaking out publicly against the death penalty and frequently make representations on behalf of individuals at risk of execution.
	We have done so on over twenty occasions in 2009. In October, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary condemned the execution of Behnood Shojaee for a crime he committed at the age of 17, and expressed grave concern for Safar Angoti, a juvenile facing imminent execution. Most recently, on 20 November 2009, the Swedish Government, as president of the EU, summoned the Iranian ambassador in Stockholm to condemn a spate of executions, including that of Kurdish activist Ehsan Fattahian. They expressed concern that a high number of Kurds faced a similar fate and called for clemency.
	The presidency also expressed concern that at least five persons have been sentenced to death as a result of mass trials following the disputed election result. We are concerned that the accused had not been given the right to fair trial in accordance with standards laid down in international law.

Iran: Arms Control

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment has been made of Iranian compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions banning the export of arms from Iran; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK takes allegations of violations of UN Security Council Resolutions very seriously. We are aware that the Iran Sanctions Committee is currently investigating recent incidents with the member states concerned. The Committee will provide a report on its activities in its annual report, which will be published in December 2009. The Government fully support the Committee pursuing this matter thoroughly and urgently.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the treatment of members of the Baha'i faith in that country.

Ivan Lewis: Alongside our EU partners we have expressed concerns about the treatment of the Baha'i community in Iran to the Iranian Government on several occasions. The EU Presidency summoned the Iranian Ambassador on 10 July 2009, and expressed deep concern about the overall situation of the Baha'is in Iran, especially the charges espionage and corruption on earth against the seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned for over a year without trial.
	Most recently, on 20 November 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution on human rights in Iran for the seventh consecutive year. The Resolution condemns attacks on Baha'is and their faith in State-sponsored media, increasing evidence of efforts by the State to identify, monitor and arbitrarily detain Baha'is, preventing members of the Baha'i faith from attending university and from sustaining themselves economically.
	We will continue to urge Iran to respect the right to freedom of religion and belief as described in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a State Party.

Iran: Press Freedom

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Iran on press freedom in that country.

Ivan Lewis: The UK has serious concerns about wide ranging restrictions on press and media in Iran. Since the elections in June repressive measures have been reinforced and pressure on journalists has increased. Restrictions on both domestic and foreign media remain at an even higher level than before the elections.
	Alongside EU partners we have made it clear to the Iranian authorities that these restrictions are unacceptable. In June, EU Ministers condemned interference with the media, including the unjustified detention of journalists and the expulsion of foreign correspondents. In a meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister in Tehran on 26 August, the EU made clear that the ongoing media restrictions were unacceptable. In a declaration of 23 October, the EU, with strong UK support, deplored the ongoing violations of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in connection with the events following the elections.
	We have also supported action at the UN. On 20 November, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran for the seventh consecutive year. This resolution, co-sponsored by the EU
	expresses deep concern at ongoing, systemic and serious restrictions of...freedom of opinion and expression, including those imposed on the media, Internet users and trade unions.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on each project funded under the Strategic Programme Fund in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each of the last five years.

Chris Bryant: The total spent to date on projects funded under the Strategic Programme Fund (SPF) is as follows:
	Afghanistan: £78,497,550
	Iraq: £106,610
	
		
			  £ 
			   Afghanistan  Iraq 
			   Afghan Counter Narcotics  Counter Terrorism and Radicalisation  Engaging with the Islamic World  Total  Counter Terrorism and Radicalisation 
			 2004-05 3,000,000 680,846 - 3,680,846 - 
			 2005-06 6,000,000 968,331 - 6,968,331 - 
			 2006-07 16,300,000 881,871 430,680 17,612,551 - 
			 2007-08 16,300,000 - 635,822 16,935,822 55,016 
			 2008-09 30,900,000 2,400,000 - 33,300,000 51,594 
		
	
	The Afghan Counter Narcotics programme has by far the lion's share of SPF expenditure in Afghanistan. Projects are directed towards the Afghan National Drugs Control Strategy which has eight pillars of activity: raising public awareness; promoting international and regional co-operation; promoting alternative livelihoods; reducing demand for drugs; law enforcement; establishing an effective criminal justice system; targeted eradication of opium; building effective Afghan Government institutions.
	Projects under the Counter Terrorism and Engaging with the Islamic World programmes have focused on developing police and security capabilities, including the design and build of good governance structures in Afghanistan and Iraq. The work is closely aligned with our counter-terrorism objectives as set out in the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, Contest.

Israel: Borders

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on changes in the levels of trading and economic activity on the West Bank following the removal by Israel of checkpoints and security barriers.

Ivan Lewis: There has not yet been a detailed assessment of the impact of the removal of some obstacles in the West Bank on levels of trading and economic activity, because the changes occurred too recently to have gathered comprehensive data. However, there is clear anecdotal evidence that the new permissive regime which allows Israeli Arabs to enter and shop in Palestinian areas (Area A in the West Bank) is boosting trade and service industries in these areas. There is also anecdotal evidence to suggest that Palestinians now have access to most places in the West Bank, although delays continue to be economically costly. There continue to be problems and delays for Palestinian businesses in the West Bank that wish to import or export goods; but there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that the volume of exports from the West Bank may have increased as a result of the extended commercial opening hours of the Allenby crossing.

Italy

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Italian government on the pay levels of British academics working in Italian universities.

Chris Bryant: In its judgments of June 2001 and July 2006, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) found that the Italian Government was in breach of European law, because a 1995 law had discriminated against non-Italian nationals in determining the rights and benefits of foreign-language assistants in universities, who were redesignated as linguistic experts under the new law.
	The Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy has contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about this case. My officials advised them to raise their concerns over Italy's alleged non-compliance with the ECJ ruling with the European Commission, the body legally responsible for enforcing compliance with European law. Officials will meet the Association on 8 December 2009 to discuss the outcome of the latter's consultations with the Commission.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of Hezbollah  (a) troops,  (b) rockets and  (c) training camps in southern Lebanon.

Ivan Lewis: The latest UN report on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701 highlighted that Hezbollah continues to maintain a substantial military capacity distinct from that of the Lebanese State, in direct contravention of UNSCRs 1559 and 1701. It also makes clear that Hezbollah have not challenged allegations regarding its armament and increased military capability. All these reports are available on the UN website at:
	http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/sgrep09.htm
	This, combined with statements made by Hezbollah officials, suggest that Hizballah has increased its military capacity. However, we lack definitive figures.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the  (a) EU,  (b) US and  (c) Russian Federation on the proposal for a Palestinian state made by the Palestinian Prime Minister.

Ivan Lewis: We are supportive of Prime Minister Fayyad's two year plan to progress Palestinian governance and institutional capacity building efforts.
	Making progress on these issues is essential for the creation of a future Palestinian State. The UK therefore discusses them regularly with key partners: EU Foreign Ministers most recently pledged their support for the proposal at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 November 2009; my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular conversations on the Middle East Peace Process with US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Senator George Mitchell; and on 2 November 2009, the Foreign Secretary released a joint statement with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov where we urged:
	the Palestinian National Authority to continue in its efforts to strengthen security and the rule of law, building on achievements reached so far.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department plans to monitor the forthcoming trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Chris Bryant: Our embassy in Moscow is watching developments in Mr. Khodorkovsky's case closely, and is participating in trial monitoring with EU partners and the US.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Russian Federation government about the imprisonment and trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Chris Bryant: We regularly raise our concerns regarding the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, bilaterally and through the EU. The issue was last raised by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on 2 November 2009 during the Foreign Secretary's visit to Moscow.

Parliamentary Assemblies: Finance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the running costs of the  (a) North Atlantic Assembly,  (b) Assembly of Western European Union and  (c) Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe were in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the Government's contribution was to the costs of each such assembly in that year.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The 2009 budget for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Parliamentary Assembly, formerly known as the North Atlantic Assembly, was €3,722,650. The UK contribution was €518,584.
	In 2009, the Western European Union Parliamentary Assembly cost its 10 member states €6,359,336. Of this total, the UK contribution was €1,367,161.
	The overall budget for 2009-10 for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly is €2,856,128. The UK contribution is €267,035.

Shell

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates representatives of his Department have met Royal Dutch Shell executives in each year since 2002.

Ivan Lewis: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and staff at all levels are in regular contact with representatives of Royal Dutch Shell in the UK and overseas.
	In light of such regular and global contacts, the cost of providing the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

South Africa: Chess

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the answer of 8 July 2009,  Official Report, column 862W, on the taking chess to the townships project, what recent representations he has received from Mr. Ted Nottingham on the taking chess to the townships initiative; and if he will meet representatives of the organisers of the project to discuss the project's future.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received a number of representations from Mr. Nottingham, including via his MP, about his taking chess to the townships, initiative. Most recently, my noble Friend the Minister for Africa and the UN, Baroness Kinnock, wrote on 19 November 2009 to reiterate that while the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wished Mr. Nottingham well with his initiative, it could not provide any support for it.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of rearmament of rebel groups in the Darfur region; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Panel of Experts on Sudan established under UN Security Council Resolution 1591 has detailed multiple cases of the transfer of military equipment into Darfur in violation of the UN embargo. We are also aware of recent press reports of rearmament by rebel groups.
	The UK has consistently reiterated to all parties the need to respect the UN arms embargo on Darfur and the EU embargo covering all of Sudan, including in contacts with representatives of the armed movements, the Government of Sudan and neighbouring countries.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of  (a) the Sudanese government and  (b) the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur on the Sudanese Government's policies towards UN peacekeeping patrols in the Darfur region in 2009.

Ivan Lewis: We regularly press the Government of Sudan, the UN African Union hybrid mission to Darfur (UNAMID) and other parties in Darfur to act to improve security there, including by respecting the Status of Forces Agreement with the UN. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for International Development (Mr. Thomas) raised our concerns over security during his visit to Sudan on 14-15 October 2009. We underlined the issues again in the UN Security Council discussions of Darfur on 30 November 2009, and in talks that day in Geneva with the UN, the Government of Sudan and other partners on the humanitarian situation in Darfur.

Uganda: Homosexuality

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Ugandan Government on their proposed legislation to  (a) increase penalties for homosexuality and  (b) introduce the death sentence for HIV positive homosexuals.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 25 November 2009
	The legislation is a Private Member's Bill, which was introduced on 14 October 2009 and is currently at committee stage in Uganda's Parliament. It has not so far been adopted formally by the Ugandan Government.
	We have grave concerns about the Bill, which we have made clear in representations to Ugandan Ministers including by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to President Museveni and my noble Friend, the Minister for Africa and the UN, Baroness Kinnock to Foreign Minister Kutesa at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Our concerns include the negative impact the Bill would have on the rights of homosexual and heterosexual Ugandans through the criminalisation of any action that could be construed as support for homosexuality, the introduction of the death penalty for some acts criminalised by the Bill, and the potential impact of the Bill on the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
	The UK is also in close touch with and is supporting Ugandan civil society organisations campaigning against the Bill.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which country the UK has recognised as the administering power de facto in that part of the territory of Western Sahara that is not occupied by Morocco.

Ivan Lewis: The UK does not regard any country as administering de facto that part of the territory of Western Sahara not under Moroccan control.
	While Morocco has administered most of the territory of Western Sahara since 1976, the UK regards the status of the whole of Western Sahara as undetermined pending UN led efforts to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the conflict, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The UK Government fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy Christopher Ross in this regard.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Bankruptcy: East of England

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many bankruptcies of individuals in each age group there have been in  (a) Mid-Bedfordshire constituency and  (b) the East of England in (i) 2008 and (ii) 2009 to date.

Ian Lucas: The available information for bankruptcies in Mid-Bedfordshire and the East of England, in 2008 by age group, can be seen in Table 1 as follows. Information for 2009 is not currently available, as regional insolvency statistics are only compiled on an annual basis.
	
		
			  Table 1: Bankruptcies in 2008 
			   Age  g roup( 1) 
			  Region( 2)  Under 25  25-34  35-44  45-54  55-64  65+  Unknown 
			 Mid-Bedfordshire 1 18 25 22 7 3 2 
			 East of England 331 1867 2331 1468 805 278 266 
			 (1 )Where the bankrupt has provided a valid date of birth (93.4 per cent. in 2008). (2 )Where the bankrupt has provided a valid postcode (96.9 per cent. in 2008).

Departmental Official Hospitality

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what expenditure his Department incurred on entertainment at 1 Victoria Street, London SW1 in 2008-09.

Patrick McFadden: The Department spent £1,078,530 on entertainment in 2008-09. Information on how much of that sum was spent at 1 Victoria Street could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the  (a) average and  (b) highest non-consolidated performance-related payment was in cash terms for a senior civil servant in his Department in each of the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was formed in June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). No performance-related payments have yet been awarded to the Senior Civil Service in BIS.
	BERR and DIUS were themselves created in June 2007 in a Machinery of Government change.
	Non-consolidated non-pensionable performance awards are paid to staff in the senior civil service (SCS) to reward delivery of business objectives and personal contributions to wider organisational goals. Performance awards are part of the pay system across the whole senior civil service, and are used to reward high performance sustained throughout the year, based on judgments of how well an individual has performed relative to their peers. The performance-related pay scheme is designed to help drive high performance and support better public service delivery.
	The size of the non-consolidated performance pay pot to be divided between members of the SCS each year is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
	The information available for BERR and DIUS senior civil servants who were in the SCS pay system is shown in the following table.(1)
	(1) These figures exclude senior civil servants who are employed on fixed-term contracts with individual remuneration arrangements.
	
		
			£ 
			   Department  Average SCS award  Largest SCS award 
			 2008-09 BERR 8,580 14,000 
			 2008-09 DIUS 8,473 20,000 
			 2007-08 BERR 7,874 17,000 
			 2007-08 DIUS 9,141 20,000 
		
	
	In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance 25 per cent. of the SCS in both BERR and DIUS received no bonus.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the estimated cost to the public sector is of the implementation of the EU Agency Workers Directive.

Patrick McFadden: The impact assessment accompanying the consultation on draft regulations published by the Department on 15 October
	www.bis.gov.uk/consulations
	set out the estimated costs and benefits of the directive. Under a 12-week qualifying period for equal treatment, as agreed under the TUC/CBI agreement of 20 May 2008, the cost to public sector hirers was estimated to be between £227 and £337 million a year.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on what date the Secretary of State last travelled by  (a) bus and  (b) taxi in the course of his official duties.

Patrick McFadden: My noble Friend the Secretary of State is supplied with a Government car with which to undertake his official duties.

Land Mines: Exports

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many anti-personnel mines were exported from the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Ian Lucas: BIS's Export Control Organisation only holds information on export licences, not on actual exports. One licence was issued in 2003 for the export to USA of 20 anti-personnel mines. The stated end-use of the mines was for the development of techniques for the detection of anti-personnel mines. Such exports are permitted under both the Landmines Act 1998 and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.

Lord Rothschild

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on what date the Secretary of State notified the Permanent Secretary of hospitality received from Lord Rothschild in August 2009; and what advice the Secretary of State received from the Permanent Secretary on the matter.

Patrick McFadden: My noble Friend the Secretary of State notified the Permanent Secretary before the summer break of his plans to accept accommodation from Lord Rothschild and declared the hospitality in the Register of Lords' Interests afterwards.

Research: Standards

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what definition of  (a) economic and  (b) social impact is used for the purposes of assessment under the Research Excellence Framework.

David Lammy: HEFCE are currently consulting on proposals for the Research Excellence Framework on behalf of the four UK funding bodies. Their proposals are for three components: output quality, impact, and environment. Their consultation proposes that:
	there should be a wide definition of impacts, including economic, social, public policy, cultural and quality of life.
	The consultation closes on 16 December. The consultation paper is available on the HEFCE website:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/
	HEFCE are also running pilot exercises to test out the impact assessment approach.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions the Secretary of State had with the Permanent Secretary of his Department on the Ministerial Code prior to meeting Saif al-Islam Gaddafi; and what advice the Secretary of State received from the Permanent Secretary on that matter.

Patrick McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) on 9 September 2009,  Official Report, column 2077W.

Strategic Investment Fund

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding from the Strategic Investment Fund has been  (a) disbursed and  (b) allocated to projects in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) Government Office region since the inception of that Fund.

Patrick McFadden: Over £720 million has already been allocated from the Strategic Investment Fund for specific projects and investments. We expect that in the region of £200 million will have been spent by the end of this current financial year.
	The SIF is a UK-wide fund, and many of the projects supported by the SIF are themselves UK-wide in geographical scope. This includes for example achieving universal access to broadband, as part of the Digital Britain programme, and the UK Innovation Investment Fund. It is not possible at present to provide information on the geographical distribution of spend under these projects.
	A number of other projects supported under the SIF can be identified to specific geographical locations, though the benefits of the projects will often be felt over a much wider area. Projects of this kind include the following, which will receive either full or part funding from the SIF:
	
		
			  Project  Geographical location  Total BIS support (£ million) 
			 Industrial Biotech Demonstrator Wilton, Teesside 12.0 
			 Airbus A350XWB Launch Investment Broughton, Clwyd and Filton, SW England 340.0 
			 Printable Electronics Centre Sedgefield, Durham 12.0 
			 Rolls Royce low carbon aeroengine technology Derby, East Midlands 45.0 
			 Centre of Excellence for Silicon Design Bristol, SW England 0.5 
			 National Composites Centre Bristol, SW England 12.0 
			 Stevenage Bioscience Park Stevenage, Herts 12.0 
			 Wave Hub-test-bed for wave energy devices Hayle, Cornwall 9.5 
			 South West Marine Energy Development SW England 10.0 
			 Wave and Tidal Energy Test Centre Blyth, Northumberland 10.0 
		
	
	Further details on these projects and other investments being funded from the SIF are contained in the Interim Report the Department published in October, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Telephone Services

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward measures to reduce the costs of operating national telephone helplines to  (a) Government agencies and  (b) charities.

Stephen Timms: The cross-Government Service Transformation programme, led by Cabinet Office, is working to improve helpline services delivered to citizens and business while reducing costs. This covers helplines provided by central Government, agencies and charities. Where it makes sense to bring helplines together to make it easier for people to access the support they need, there will be opportunities to reduce operating costs. Ensuring that helplines align with advice provided on the web helps to manage demand, which can in turn reduce costs.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 70-1W, on the Homes and Communities Agency, how much the Homes and Communities Agency has received in proceeds from resales under the  (a) First Time Buyer's Initiative,  (b) HomeBuy Direct,  (c) New Build HomeBuy and  (d) Open Market HomeBuy Scheme in each of the last three years; and what the average amount received by the Agency was in respect of such a transaction.

John Healey: For  (a), the following table shows repayments received by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in 2008-09:
	
		
			  FTBI repayments received by the HCA 2008-09 
			   £ 
			 2008-09 107,592 
		
	
	For  (b), HomeBuy Direct became operational in February 2009. There were no resales in the last three years.
	For  (c) and  (d), grant invested in Open Market HomeBuy and New Build HomeBuy properties, through Registered Social Landlords (who own the properties) is credited to the Recycled Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) for provision of new social lets or other low cost homes when the properties are sold whole or through shared ownership terms.
	The total proceeds received by the HCA from sales of grant funded properties in the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			   Recovered gran t (£) 
			 2006-07 12,215,887 
			 2007-08 9,514,917 
			 2008-09 18,583,258 
			  Source:  HCA.

Audit Commission: Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Audit Commission has made to Connect Public Affairs in the last 12 months; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made.

Rosie Winterton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 1 December 2009:
	Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me to reply.
	The Audit Commission has contracted work from Connect Public Affairs over the last 12 months totalling £55,616.76 (details attached).
	The total cost includes work carried out under contract and ad hoc commissioned work. There is not one overall contract, but an example of the individual contract used is attached and has been placed in the Library.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in  Hansard.
	
		
			   Purpose  Amount (£) 
			 2 January 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee in December 2008 1,601.25 
			 12 January 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee in November 2008 1,601.25 
			 11 February 2009 Parliamentary monitoring 1,601.25 
			 11 February 2009 CPA Conservative Shadow Cabinet 9,607.50 
			 17 February 2009 Events planner for January 2009 1,067.50 
			 11 March 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee during February 2009 1,601.25 
			 20 March 2009 Management of events planner 533.75 
			 27 March 2009 One off project fee to identify key prospective parliamentary candidates 2,668.75 
			 27 March 2009 One off project fee to develop a public affairs strategy 6,405.00 
			 27 March 2009 Project fee to assist with party conference planning 907.38 
			 24 April 2009 Office expenses including phone for mgt of events planner 533.75 
			 24 April 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee 1,601.25 
			 3 June 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee 2,135.00 
			 10 June 2009 One off project fee 2,668.75 
			 12 June 2009 Connect fee as agreed 1,067.50 
			 13 July 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee June 2009 2,135.00 
			 13 July 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee May 2009 2,135.00 
			 27 July 2009 Connect fee, analysis and overview of local election results 2,135.00 
			 10 August 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee 2,135.00 
			 14 September 2009 Connect fee 2,135.00 
			 14 September 2009 Connect fee 1,601.25 
			 14 September 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee 2,135.00 
			 9 November 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee October 2009 2,668.75 
			 9 November 2009 Parliamentary monitoring fee 2,935.63 
			 Total  55,616.76

Capita

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any contracts between Capita Group plc and his Department and its predecessors have been cancelled before completion since 1997; and whether Capita Group plc has been liable for any penalties arising from failings in the administration of contracts with his Department and its predecessors since 1997.

Barbara Follett: The Department, and its predecessors, have no record of contracts with Capita plc being cancelled before completion. Capita Group plc has not been liable to any penalties from failings in the administration of contracts since 1997.

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions he visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Barbara Follett: The Secretary of State has not been to Scotland or Northern Ireland since his appointment in June. He has been to Wales, participating in a Regional Cabinet in Cardiff on 23 July 2009.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criminal offences have been  (a) abolished and  (b) created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since 1 May 2008.

Barbara Follett: The Department has sponsored four Acts that have received Royal Assent since 1 May 2008.
	Housing and Regeneration Act 2008;
	Planning Act 2008;
	Business Rate Supplements Act 2009; and
	Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.
	 (a) 10 criminal offences were abolished by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008; and
	 (b) 20 criminal offences were created-13 by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 and seven by the Planning Act 2008.

Departmental Press Officers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full-time equivalent press officers  (a) are employed by and  (b) work for his Department.

Barbara Follett: 21 full-time equivalent press officers are employed by and work for Communities and Local Government.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to his Department was of provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Barbara Follett: CLG does not record office facilities costs broken down by individual business area or unit and therefore the information requested is not available.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date he last travelled by  (a) bus and  (b) taxi in the course of his official duties.

Barbara Follett: The Secretary of State has not travelled by bus or taxi in the course of his official duties.

Derelict Land

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many acres of brownfield land there are in cities on which building development may not take place.

Ian Austin: Information is not held centrally on the area of brownfield land in cities on which building development may not take place. Information on the total amount of previously developed land that may be available for development by local authority is available from the National Land Use Database of Previously-Developed Land which is published by the Homes and Communities Agency.

Floods: Cumbria

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities will be able to claim for expenditure under the 0.2 per cent. qualifying expenditure arrangements under the Bellwin scheme in respect of expenditure necessitated by the recent floods in Cumbria.

Barbara Follett: All the local authorities in Cumbria may apply for Bellwin funding in respect of the recent floods. For this scheme, we have exceptionally decided that authorities may claim 100 per cent. grant above the threshold-which is set at 0.2 per cent. of an authority's calculated annual revenue budget.

Floods: Cumbria

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether fire and rescue authorities are eligible for funding under the Bellwin scheme following the recent floods in Cumbria.

Barbara Follett: Fire and rescue authorities are eligible for funding under the Bellwin scheme. In this particular instance, Cumbria county council has responsibility for fire and rescue services and has already registered its intention to submit a Bellwin claim.

Floods: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what categories of local authority expenditure are not eligible for emergency financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme.

Barbara Follett: Annex B of the Bellwin guidance on the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://wwwcommunities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localgovernrnentfinance/bellwinscheme/
	gives examples of expenditure that would not normally qualify for funding under the Bellwin scheme. These include:
	costs which are normally insurable, whether by the authority or any other party (e.g. under household insurance policies);
	loss of income (e.g. from facilities closed as a result of the emergency), as this falls outside the scope of section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989;
	the normal wages and salaries of the authority's regular employees, whether diverted from their normal work or otherwise, and the standing costs of the authority's plant and equipment;
	longer term works of repair and restoration, such as tree planting and repair or refurbishment of damaged but not dangerous structures;
	any element of betterment, e.g. repairs to buildings to a significantly higher standard than their condition on the day before the incident.

Homes and Communities Agency

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the functions are of the Homes and Communities Agency's National Consultancy Unit; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to Section D of the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 19 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1295W.

Homes and Communities Agency

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2009,  Official Report, column 73W, on the Homes and Communities Agency: manpower, from which organisation each member of staff was seconded.

John Healey: Of the 50 secondees to Homes and Communities Agency, the majority are from Communities and Local Government; with two from Savills and one each from BERR, DCMS, English Heritage, Lambeth council, The Prince's Trust, King Sturge, BBP Regeneration, London and Quadrant and Knight Frank.

Housing and Planning Delivery Grant

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to publish the Housing, Planning and Delivery Grant settlement for local authorities for 2009-10.

Ian Austin: We will make an announcement shortly.

Housing: Building Regulations

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 12 November 2009,  Official Report, column 866W, on housing: building regulations, whether his Department has revisited the impact assessment of funding for overground oil tanks.

Ian Austin: The consultation on proposals to revise part J (combustion appliances and fuel storage systems) of the building regulations came to an end on 26 November. The next steps are to analyse and publish a summary of responses, agree final proposals and revise the part J Approved Document (statutory guidance). As part of this process, we will revisit the impact assessment.

Housing: Empty Property

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty  (a) private and  (b) public homes there were in each region of the UK in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: The term public homes has been interpreted as those owned by local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs). Information is available only for regions in England.
	A table showing estimates of the number of empty dwellings in the private and public sector in each region in England in the last two years has been placed in the House Library.
	Total vacant dwellings reported by local authorities through council taxbase returns include long-term (six months and more) and short-term vacancies. Figures for RSLs are for self-contained general needs units only.

Housing: Energy

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to encourage the retrofitting of the existing housing stock with energy efficiency technologies through the building regulations.

Ian Austin: Energy efficiency standards are set out in Part L of the building regulations, 'Conservation of fuel and power'. Part L requirements apply only when building work is carried out to existing dwellings. The standards typically cover the construction of extensions, the conversion of non-domestic buildings to dwellings, the installation of new and replacement heating, ventilation and lighting systems, window replacement, and other alterations. We have recently consulted on proposals to raise Part L standards in 2010 and plan to publish a summary of responses at the end of the year.

Housing: Low Incomes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what applications he has received for funding under his Department's Kickstart programme for projects in Hendon; what funding has been made available; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Details of all round one approved Kickstart schemes, are posted on the Homes and Communities Agency's website at:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/kickstart housing
	This includes a project in Stonegrove.

Local Government Finance: Kent

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from  (a) revenue support,  (b) capital grant and  (c) supported borrowing was provided by central Government to (i) Kent county council, (ii) Thanet district council and (iii) Dover district council in (A) 2007-08 and (B) 2008-09.

Barbara Follett: Please find as follows a table providing the amount of formula grant, which is made up of revenue support grant and redistributed business rates for non-police authorities, for each of the authorities requested. Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant. This means that authorities are free to spend the money on any service provided that they meet their statutory duties.
	
		
			£ million  
			  Local authority  Year  Prior years adjusted formula grant  Current year ' s formula grant  Change  Percentage change 
			 Kent county council 2007-08 222.673 228.685 6.012 2.7 
			  2008-09 250.743 259.366 8.624 3.4 
			   
			 Thanet district council 2007-08 12.401 12.765 0.364 2.9 
			  2008-09 12.834 13.021 0.187 1.5 
			   
			 Dover district council 2007-08 9.695 9.957 0.262 2.7 
			  2008-09 10.013 10.113 0.100 1.0 
		
	
	Information on the provision of capital grants is not held centrally.
	Supported borrowing or supported capital expenditure (revenue) is supported through formula grant. Since formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant, and due to the calculations of formula grant, particularly floor damping, it is not possible to say how much grant has been provided for the support of capital expenditure.

Local Government Services

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to extend Total Place pilots to include  (a) the Stroud district and  (b) other rural areas.

Rosie Winterton: 13 Total Place pilot authorities were chosen to ensure a diverse mix of economic, geographical and demographic profiles. This includes rural areas.
	There are also over 70 parallel places, urban and rural, undertaking Total Place type activity. These numbers continue to rise as more and more local authorities begin to consider the real potential of a whole area approach, looking at all the services in their area and consider how they can bring about much-needed change in the way these services can be delivered more effectively and efficiently.

Operational Efficiency Programme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what efficiency savings projects  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies put in place under the Operational Efficiency Programme; on what date each such project was initiated; how much each such project was expected to contribute to departmental savings; how much had been saved through each such project on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The Department is approaching the efficiency agenda as a group endeavour in close collaboration with our arm's-length bodies and Government offices. We have made good progress on delivering on the Operational Efficiency Programme and have a range of initiatives in place to deliver efficiencies. These include implementing shared services and rationalising back office systems; collaborative procurement, where we are reviewing and renewing supplier arrangements across a range of common goods and services; consolidation of office accommodation and implementing open plan and flexible desk sharing and rationalisation of our group estate. For our arm's-length bodies, delivering efficiencies is about transforming service delivery models and improving front-line services to drive down costs. We continue to work closely with our ALBs as they implement these initiatives.

Public Works Loans Board: Croydon

Malcolm Wicks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make an assessment of the circumstances necessitating Croydon council's loan of £145.6 million from the Public Works Loans Board; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: It is not appropriate for the Department to make such an assessment or a statement on this matter. Decisions on self-financed borrowing are a matter for local authorities. The prudential borrowing system imposes a duty for local authorities to determine and keep under review the amount they can afford to borrow.

Shared Ownership Schemes: East of England

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many shared ownership purchases have been made by people on social housing waiting lists in  (a) Peterborough constituency,  (b) Peterborough city council area and  (c) Cambridgeshire in each year since 2001; and what proportion of all such sales in each of those areas this represented in each such year.

John Healey: Information on shared ownership purchases is not available on a constituency basis.
	The available information for shared ownership sales in Peterborough unitary authority and Cambridgeshire is shown in the following tables. The numbers exclude sales by registered social landlords with less than 250 units/bedspaces. Information on whether sales were to people on a housing waiting list is missing in some cases, and was only collected up to 2006-07. The percentage of shared ownership sales to people on waiting lists was not calculated due to missing information.
	From April 2006, applicants for grant-funded shared ownership properties apply direct to homebuy agents (appointed housing associations) who carry out eligibility and affordability checks and handle the application process.
	
		
			  Table 1: Shared ownership completions in Peterborough 
			Of which: 
			   Shared ownership sales  Sales to people on housing waiting lists  Sales to people not on housing waiting lists  Sales for which waiting list information is not available 
			 2001-02 0 0 0 0 
			 2002-03 0 0 0 0 
			 2003-04 0 0 0 0 
			 2004-05 9 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2005-06 23 17 (1)- (1)- 
			 2006-07 49 9 20 20 
			 2007-08 58 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2008-09 53 n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 : Shared ownership completions in  Cambridgeshire 
			Of which: 
			   Shared ownership sales  Sales to people on housing waiting lists  Sales to people not on housing waiting lists  Sales for which waiting list information is not available 
			 2001-02 16 10 (1)- (1)- 
			 2002-03 6 (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 2003-04 90 42 41 7 
			 2004-05 63 30 20 13 
			 2005-06 91 52 25 14 
			 2006-07 212 71 88 53 
			 2007-08 209 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2008-09 227 n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) No reliable estimate due to less than five respondents.  Source: CORE (continuous recording) returns to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) from registered social landlords (RSLs).

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what process will apply to his Department reaching agreement with the Sustainable Communities Act 2007's selector body once bids have been submitted to his Department by the Selector.

Rosie Winterton: Under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, before deciding which of the proposals on the short-list should be implemented, the Government are required to consult with the Selector and try to reach agreement. In order to effectively implement the Act, officials have met with representatives from the Selector on a number of occasions. These meetings will continue once the short-list has been received. Ministers will also engage with members of the Selector Panel in order to try to reach agreement before final decisions are made.

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the second round of bids under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are committed to the effective implementation of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. The first round has generated 301 proposals that are currently being considered by the Local Government Association as Selector, before being submitted to the Secretary of State. We intend to review the first round of proposals once decisions have been taken in order to ensure that implementation of the second round of proposals is as effective as possible. This will allow the second round to benefit from feedback from communities, local authorities, the Selector and the Third Sector on how the process might be improved. This will ensure that we can be clear from the outset about the way that future proposals will be handled.

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for  (a) considering and  (b) approving the first round of bids under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are currently co-operating with the Local Government Association, appointed as Selector, as it draws up a short-list of the proposals from local authorities, under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, which it believes would improve the sustainability of their local area. I understand the Selector Panel is due to meet on 22 December 2009 and is expected to submit the short-list to the Secretary of State thereafter. The Secretary of State will then consult the Selector and try to reach agreement on which proposals should be implemented.
	The timing of these decisions will depend on the number and complexity of the proposals on the short-list.

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with the Local Government Association in its role as Selector under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are currently co-operating with the Local Government Association (LGA), in its role as Selector, as the LGA draws up a short-list of the proposals from local authorities, under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, which it believes would improve the sustainability of their local area. As part of the co-operation process, officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government have met with the Local Government Association on a number of occasions.
	The Government have also shared with the LGA factual information on the proposals, including material on whether proposals are likely to be already within the existing powers of local authorities; whether proposals are likely to require additional public expenditure; information on the cost-benefit and broad impact of proposals; and details of existing policy positions for which the Government are publicly accountable.
	These meetings will continue once the short-list has been received. Ministers will also engage with members of the Selector Panel in order to try to reach agreement before final decisions are made.

Tenant Services Authority: Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Tenant Services Authority has made to APCO since its establishment; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1345W.

HEALTH

Blood: Donors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the criteria relating to donation of  (a) blood and  (b) bone marrow for the purposes of increasing the number of people eligible to donate.

Ann Keen: Selection criteria for blood and bone marrow donors are covered by a European Union directive, transposed into United Kingdom law as the Blood and Safety Quality Regulations (2005). Within this framework the Joint Professional Advisory Committee of the UK Blood Transfusion services provides detailed advice on donor and donation acceptability for the protection of both the donor and the recipient patients.
	In addition, the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissue and Organs advises the Government on donor selection. These recommendations are based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence and kept under review.
	There has not been a shortage of blood in the UK for many years, and the British Bone Marrow Register strategy for maintaining the registry at 300,000 donors is readily attainable without any change to current donor selection guidelines.

Blood: Donors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals for a pilot project for the registration of stem cell donors  (a) up to the age of 60 years and  (b) who are blood donors at blood centres.

Ann Keen: The British Bone Marrow Registry recruits donors aged between 18 and 49. All bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donors are recruited from blood donors at blood centres.
	The Department does not intend to bring forward any proposals to change current practice.

Botulinum Toxin

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of botox produced in the UK which has been used for  (a) cosmetic and  (b) medical procedures.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 30 November 2009
	This information is not collected centrally.

Botulinum Toxin

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions botox has been used in medical procedures performed by the NHS in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The available information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Count of Finished Consultant Episode (FCEs) where there was a main or secondary procedure of Torsion dystonias and other involuntary movements drugs Band 1 Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   FCEs (Thousand) 
			 2008-09 26.3 
			 2007-08 19.9 
			 2006-07 12.8 
			  Notes: 1. A FCE is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 2. The Number of episodes with a (named) main or secondary procedure represent the number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) operative procedure fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one operative procedure field of the record. It should be noted that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a 'cataract operation' would tend to have at least two procedures-removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one-counted in a single episode.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Cancer: Health Services

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breast cancer referral patients have been seen within the two-week waiting time for  (a) urgent and  (b) routine referrals in each of the last three years.

Ann Keen: All patients with suspected breast cancer should be urgently referred by their general practitioner in line with the referral guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. These patients should not be subject to a routine referral. The following table details the numbers of patients covered by this standard and the reported performance for the period April 2006 to December 2008.
	
		
			  Period  Total seen (where referral was received within 24 hours)  Number of patients seen within 14 Days  Percentage performance 
			 Quarter 1 2006-07 34,725 34,710 100.0 
			 Quarter 2 2006-07 33,090 33,078 100.0 
			 Quarter 3 2006-07 36,682 36,669 100.0 
			 Quarter 4 2006-07 34,485 34,471 100.0 
			 Quarter 1 2007-08 33,694 33,680 100.0 
			 Quarter 2 2007-08 33,213 33,204 100.0 
			 Quarter 3 2007-08 38,197 38,169 99.9 
			 Quarter 4 2007-08 37,263 37,200 99.8 
			 Quarter 1 2008-09 41,424 41,349 99.8 
			 Quarter 2 2008-09 38,651 38,492 99.6 
			 Quarter 3 2008-09 40,417 40,372 99.9 
		
	
	From 1 January 2009 onwards the definitions and methodology used to calculate these statistics are no longer directly comparable to those used previously. This change means that the national health service no longer adjusts these data to separate referrals after 24 hours or account for patient choice, where individuals elect to delay their appointment. Statistics for the period January 2009 to June 2009 are included in the following table.
	
		
			  Period  Total seen  Number of patients seen within 14 days  Percentage performance 
			 Quarter 4 2008-09 41,033 39,214 95.6 
			 Quarter 1 2009-10 44,749 42,648 95.3

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has for its forthcoming clinical strategy for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Ann Keen: The national health service, Department of Health and key stakeholders have been working together over the last three years to develop a comprehensive strategy for improving services for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in England, and intend to publish it shortly for public consultation.
	The strategy will demonstrate how we have reviewed the case for change and identified good practice based on published evidence, whenever available, in slowing the progression of this long-term condition. The strategy will describe how the Department and NHS can work together to ensure that the public understand the risks of having poor lung health, and that health care practitioners understand how to secure improvements to the diagnosis and care of people with COPD. We also want to support people with COPD and their carers by offering practical advice and education on managing their disease.

Departmental Consultants

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many external consultants work for his Department.

Phil Hope: The Department does not collect information on the numbers of management consultants employed. When commissioning management consultancy services, it is the Department's preference to contract for whole pieces of work rather than on a day rate basis. Consequently, it is left to the respective consultancy organisations to manage the number and level of individual consultants employed at any one time in order to deliver the required outcomes to the best value.

Departmental Meetings

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) individuals other than ministerial colleagues and officials of his Department and  (b) organisations he met in an official capacity in the week commencing 9 November 2009.

Phil Hope: In its response to a report by the Public Administration Select Committee Lobbying: Access and influence in Whitehall, the Government agreed to publish on-line, on a quarterly basis, information about ministerial meetings with outside interest groups. Information for the period 1 October to 31 December 2009 will be published by Departments as soon as the information is ready.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to his Department was of provision of office facilities to  (a) special advisers and  (b) press officers in the 2008-09 financial year.

Phil Hope: It is not possible to calculate the cost of the provision of office facilities to special advisers and press officers for the period in question.

Departmental Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he last travelled by train in the course of his official duties.

Phil Hope: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last travelled by train on 23 November 2009 in the course of his ministerial duties.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Phil Hope: Information about the number of scientific advisers and civil servants in scientific posts is not held centrally.

Departmental Taxis

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many miles  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department travelled by taxi in the course of their official duties in each year since 1997; and at what cost to the public purse in each such year.

Phil Hope: The Department holds information on its taxi contract expenditure from 2004-05. We are unable to separate out mileage information between Ministers and officials, as this distinction is not collected. The total expenditure against each contract along with the associated mileage, where kept, is as follows:
	
		
			   Addison Lee  (£)  GDCA Green Cars  (£)  Mileage 
			 2004-05 423,212 - (1)- 
			 2005-06 412,695 - 140,233 
			 2006-07 306,310 - 113,232 
			 2007-08 336,934 - 121,327 
			 2008-09 291,985 22,935 120,388 
			 2009-10 (until October 2009) 184,539 27,003 79,794 
			 (1 )Not kept. 
		
	
	Both contracts were cancelled recently in order to reduce the Department's carbon footprint and save money.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost to his Department of the implementation of the EU Agency Workers Directive is.

Phil Hope: No estimate has yet been made by the Department of the cost of implementation of the EU Agency Workers Directive. It is expected that an estimate of these costs will be completed within the next six months.

East of England Strategic Health Authority: Consultants

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on  (a) management and  (b) other consultants by (i) Suffolk Primary Care Trust and (ii) the East of England Strategic Health Authority in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: This information is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are responsible for using their resources to plan, commission and develop services to meet the health needs of their local community. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue locally.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Research

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research projects funded by  (a) his Department and  (b) the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in the last 10 years on which he relies to fulfil his responsibility to ensure that genetically modified food is safe to eat have been designed specifically to show whether there are risks of adverse health effects for people from the consumption of genetically modified food.

Ann Keen: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has commissioned work under three research programmes relevant to the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods. Prior to April 2000 food safety research was the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF). The research funded by the FSA and MAFF has included a series of projects aimed at either better understanding the consequences of genetic modification, or exploring new/improved methods for use in the safety assessment of GM organisms such as metabolomics and genomics. Details of the individual projects commissioned by MAFF and the FSA are available on the research pages of the FSA's website at:
	www.food.gov.uk/science/research/researchinfo/foodcomponentsresearch/novelfoodsresearch/
	The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has not funded any research during the last 10 years specifically to show whether there are risks of adverse health effects for people from the consumption of GM food, but it has funded one project to analyse gene transfer from food plants to human intestinal microflora and intestinal epithelium, which is relevant to the safety assessment of foods obtained from GM crops.

Health Professions: Pay

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure pay parity between pharmacy contractors and appliance contractors.

Mike O'Brien: Over the last few years, the Department has been carrying out a review of the arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the provision of appliances-and related services-in primary care. Throughout the review the Department's key aims were to:
	maintain and, where applicable, improve patient care;
	ensure equitable payment to dispensing appliance contractors and pharmacy contractors for the provision of equivalent services; and
	achieve transparency between what is paid for services and what is reimbursed for items.
	The new arrangements for the provision of stoma and urology appliances-and related services-in primary care were announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State (Phil Hope) in a written ministerial statement on 1 April 2009,  Official Report, column 67WS and an overview of the new arrangements was placed in the Library. We are looking to implement the changes next year.

Influenza

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the written ministerial statement of 24 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 57-58WS, on the Departmental Expenditure Account (2008-09), which pandemic flu items required the transfer of funds from his Department's capital expenditure limit to its revenue expenditure limit.

Mike O'Brien: The transfer relates to the utilisation of antiviral drugs, vaccines and other stocks in 2009-10. It does not change the overall level of funding available to the Department.

KBR

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries since January 2009.

Phil Hope: The Department has no record on its central finance database of any contracts held with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries since January 2009.

Lung Cancer

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much is planned to be spent on the National Lung Cancer Audit in each of the next three financial years;
	(2)  whether he plans to change methods of collection of National Lung Cancer Audit data.

Ann Keen: The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership manages the contract for the National Lung Cancer Audit which is currently out to tender, and it is for the organisations tendering for the audit to submit their own proposals. The tender process is designed to ensure that the audit continues to be effective, offers value for money and has the opportunity to develop new indicators of quality care.

Medical Records: Data Protection

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will publish the report on the summary of responses to the consultation on the additional uses of patient data; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the report.

Mike O'Brien: The report was published on 30 November 2009. Deferment of publication from the originally-planned date has been due to the need for extended and detailed analysis of both quantifiable data and free text responses to ensure the report fairly reflects all respondents' views, and to avoid bias which could have arisen because of disproportionate response rates from different constituencies. The analysis was then further reviewed for consistency.

Medical Research: Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Government funding has been allocated to medical research in each year since 1996-97.

Gillian Merron: Government funding for medical research is provided principally through the Department's national health service research and development budget and the Medical Research Council. The amounts allocated in each year since 1996-97 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Government health research funding 
			  £ million 
			   Medical Research Council  NHS Research and Development 
			 1996-97 n/a 432 
			 1997-98 289 426 
			 1998-99 290 420 
			 1999-2000 305 434 
			 2000-01 319 448 
			 2001-02 350 475 
			 2002-03 372 506 
			 2003-04 430 533 
			 2004-05 458 601 
			 2005-06 481 617 
			 2006-07 504 659 
			 2007-08 552 730 
			 2008-09 617 792 
			 2009-10 699 862 
			 (1) n/a = Not available

Mentally Ill: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of prescribing anti-psychotic drugs in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people who have been prescribed anti-psychotic drugs in each year since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Information on the number of patients prescribed a medicine and the condition for which that medicine is prescribed is not collected centrally.
	The following table shows the number of prescription items for anti-psychotic drugs within sections 4.2.1 Antipsychotic drugs and 4.2.2 Antipsychotic depot injections of the British National Formulary, written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community, in England with the net ingredient cost (NIC).
	
		
			  Thousand 
			   Items dispensed  NIC 
			 1997 4,423.0 41,005.2 
			 1998 4,714.2 58,745.7 
			 1999 4,925.0 79,592.7 
			 2000 5,159.2 98,419.9 
			 2001 4,922.9 130,633.5 
			 2002 5,167.0 161,670.2 
			 2003 5,513.2 191,874.4 
			 2004 5,687.8 211,945.5 
			 2005 5,872.9 216,087.8 
			 2006 6,196.1 240,556.2 
			 2007 6,619.5 264,814.3 
			 2008 6,989.4 276,982.1 
			  Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system.

National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Standards

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the performance of the National Centre of Stereotactic Radiosurgery in meeting the NHS 18-week pathway target; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has not made a specific assessment regarding the National Centre of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and data on the performance of the National Centre of Stereotactic Radiosurgery are not held centrally.
	Referral to treatment (RTT) data, which show how trusts are performing against the 18-week operational standard, are collected at treatment function level and at provider level. Patients who are treated at the National Centre of Stereotactic Radiosurgery are recorded under the RTT data for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
	The latest RTT data (September 2009) show that 61.7 per cent. of admitted patients, and 72.8 per cent, of non-admitted patients received neurosurgery treatment at Sheffield teaching hospitals within 18 weeks of referral by their general practitioner.

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency: Contracts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department expects the Purchasing and Supply Agency to pay in contract payments to DHL over the contract period.

Mike O'Brien: The Department signed a 10-year Master Services Agreement with DHL on 4 September 2006 for the provision of procurement and supply chain services, trading under the name of NHS Supply Chain (NHS SC).
	NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) paid £17.1 million between 2006-09 to cover the costs and liabilities of employees who transferred from NHS PASA to NHS SC under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations.
	No further contractual payments are anticipated.

NHS: Disclosure of Information

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to  (a) strengthen whistleblowing procedures for hospital staff and  (b) encourage constructive criticism of working practices from hospital staff.

Ann Keen: We expect national health service trusts to have policies in place that encourage feedback from staff and pre-empt the need to whistleblow. For those rare occasions where whistleblowing is the appropriate course of action, we have provided unprecedented protection for individuals and we emphasise in the NHS constitution the right not to be unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing or reporting wrongdoing. Listening to and acting upon concerns of staff are vital ways to drive up standards.
	Following the recommendations of the recent House of Commons Select Committee report on patient safety, the Department will be updating and re-issuing guidance to the NHS, working in conjunction with NHS Employers, Public Concern at Work and trade unions.
	The pack is intended to help employers who are in the process of creating or updating their whistleblowing procedures.

Nurses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of physical assaults on nurses and other hospital staff.

Ann Keen: Each national health service body has a duty to address the risks to staff and ensure their safety. The NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) can assist employers through guidance on assessing risks and acting to protect staff from assaults and, where incidents do occur, on taking action against offenders. The Department and the NHS SMS will also work with the Social Partnership Forum to promote the security of NHS staff and reduce assaults.
	A new offence of causing nuisance or disturbance on hospital premises and a power to remove someone suspected of committing this offence were supported by the Department in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. The purpose of these measures is to remove those whose actions may escalate into violence and whose behaviour diverts staff from delivering care. Consultation on guidance on the use of the powers took place between May and August and the powers will be commenced on 30 November 2009. The NHS SMS will provide free training for NHS staff who will use the power of removal.

Nurses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of nurses working in NHS hospitals.

Ann Keen: It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to decide the levels of staffing required to meet the needs of their local population.
	There are currently 89,304 more nurses (including general practitioner practice nurses) working in the NHS than in 1997. This represents an increase of 28 per cent. from 318,856 in 1997 to 408,160 in 2008.

Nurses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking  (a) to increase the level of access to specialist nursing care and  (b) reduce hospital admission rates.

Ann Keen: Local national health service organisations are responsible for the skill mix of their work force including the number of specialist nurses. They are best placed to assess the health needs of their local community and must have the freedom to train and deploy staff in ways appropriate for local conditions.
	To help trusts develop specialist nursing roles we have published Long Term Neurological Conditions: A good practice guide to the development of the multidisciplinary team and the value of the specialist nurse. This guide has been prepared for commissioners and managers to highlight the role and contribution of specialist nurses. These principles are transferable to other specialities.
	Copies of this guidance have already been placed in the Library and can be found on the Skills for Health website at:
	www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk/resources/latest_resources/long_term_neurological_conditions.html
	Reducing unplanned and unnecessary hospital admissions is part of the Department's strategy to improve care and services for people with long-term conditions. The focus has been on implementing case management for those with complex health and social care needs who are most at risk of unplanned admissions. This is led by a community matron or other case manager who provides co-ordinated, proactive and personalised care at home or in the community setting.
	In addition, the Department has made a commitment that everyone with a long-term condition will be offered a care plan by 2010. Personalised care planning and support for self-care will enable people with long-term conditions to plan their care, have strategies in place to cope with any exacerbations of their conditions, and have all the relevant information they need to make decisions about their health and well-being. This should reduce use of secondary care services, including unplanned admissions.
	In the National Service Framework for Long Term Neurological Conditions, we had made it clear that specialist advice and treatment can be cost-neutral and may reduce admissions and length of stay and improve well-being. It is for local NHS organisations to implement this guidance.

Primary Care Trusts: Finance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable he has set for the allocation to primary care trusts of funding at the level determined by the formula announced in December 2008.

Mike O'Brien: We are committed to moving all primary care trusts (PCTs) towards their target allocations as quickly as possible. In 2009-10 and 2010-11, we have ensured that the most under-target PCTs benefit from the highest increases in funding.
	Over those two years, revenue allocations represent £164 billion investment in the national health service, £80 billion in 2009-10 and £84 billion in 2010-11. PCTs received an average increase in funding of 5.5 per cent. in 2009-10 and will receive an average increase in funding of 5.5 per cent. in 2010-11, a total increase in funding of £8.6 billion.
	No decisions have yet been taken on the future rate of progress towards target allocations. The rate at which PCTs will move towards their target allocation in future years will need to be considered in light of a number of factors including population changes, cost pressures and the overall resources available to the NHS.

Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup: Accident and Emergency Department

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated at the accident and emergency department at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, in the last three years for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: Information is not collected on the number of patients treated at accident and emergency (AE) departments. However, data on the number of attendances at AE type 1 departments are available and published quarterly via the Department of Health's Quarterly Monitoring Accident and Emergency Services dataset. This includes patients who attended AE but who were not subsequently treated and counts each attendance by the same patient separately.

Smoking

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are using NHS services to help them stop smoking in  (a) England,  (b) the North East and  (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not available in the exact format requested. Information on the number of people using the NHS Stop Smoking Services is not available by constituency.
	The number of people using the NHS Stop Smoking Services is defined here as the number of people setting a quit date. Information on the number of people setting a quit date in England, by strategic health authority and by primary care trust is available in table 3.8 of the Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2008 to March 2009 publication. This publication is available on the Information Centre for health and social care website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/nhs-stop-smoking-services/statistics-on-nhs-stop-smoking-services:-england-april-2008-to-march-2009

Tranquilisers: Misuse

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 16 July 2009,  Official Report, column 673W, on tranquilisers, when he expects to publish the results of his Department's review of policy on addiction to prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Ann Keen: The results of the review of policy on addiction to medicines will be announced after the completion of the review in 2010.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals were used in regulated procedures at Wickham Laboratories in 2008; and how many such procedures were re-uses.

Meg Hillier: I am unable to disclose the number of animals used in regulated procedures at Wickham Laboratories in 2008.
	Information on number of animals used in regulated procedures relating to individual establishments cannot be disclosed in order to protect statistical confidentiality, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (implementing the Statistics and Registration Act 2007) and the national statistician's guidance Confidentiality of Official Statistics.

Animal Experiments

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulated procedures were carried out on animals at Wickham Laboratories in 2008; and how many of these involved potency testing of botulinum toxin.

Meg Hillier: I am unable to disclose how many regulated procedures were carried out on animals at Wickham Laboratories in 2008 and how many of those involved potency testing of botulinum toxin.
	Information on number of regulated procedures relating to individual establishments cannot be disclosed in order to protect statistical confidentiality, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (implementing the Statistics and Registration Act 2007) and the national statistician's guidance Confidentiality of Official Statistics.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued to those under the age of 18 years and in the care or supervision of local authorities in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people under the age of 16 years received an antisocial behaviour order in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: Data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued collected centrally by my Department do not include details of whether or not ASBO recipients were in the care or supervision of a local authority at the time their ASBO was issued. This information could be ascertained only by reference to individual court files, which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	Available published data on the number of ASBOs issued provide an age group breakdown showing those ASBO recipients aged 10-17 and those 18-plus.
	The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to persons under the age of 18 at all courts in England and Wales in each year between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to persons under 18 years of age( 1)  at all courts( 2)  in England and Wales, 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2007 
			  England and Wales  Issued (aged 10-17) 
			 2003 628 
			 2004 1,340 
			 2005 1,581 
			 2006 1,053 
			 2007 920 
			 (1) Where the age has been reported. (2) This includes magistrates courts when acting both in their civil capacity issuing ASBOs on application and their criminal capacity when issuing ASBOs following conviction for a criminal offence.  Notes: 1. Previously issued data have been revised. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: As reported to the Home Office by the Court Service.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of antisocial behaviour orders issued to those under the age of 16 years which were breached where  (a) a parenting order and  (b) an individual support order was also issued in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of antisocial behaviour orders issued to those under the age of 17 years in 2008 had an individual support order attached.

Alan Campbell: The information requested on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to those under the age of 16 years which were breached where a parenting order and an individual support order was also issued is not available.
	ASBO breach data compiled by my Department do not include details of whether defendants proven in court to have breached their ASBO were subject to either an individual support order or a parenting order. This information could be ascertained only by examination of individual court files, which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	Data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued in 2008 are not yet available.

Antisocial Behaviour: Crime Prevention

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of  (a) individual support orders and  (b) intervention orders in preventing antisocial behaviour.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has commissioned two pieces of work evaluating interventions to tackle antisocial behaviour. These are:
	Research to examine local variations in the use of antisocial behaviour interventions. This was the first step to developing further work into the comparative effectiveness of different approaches to tackling antisocial behaviour. The findings of this study are due to be published soon; and
	An evaluation of the comparative effectiveness of interventions to address antisocial behaviour. Results from this evaluation are due in spring 2010.
	Three independent reports have confirmed that our approach to tackling antisocial behaviour is working. The National Audit Office (NAO) reported that two thirds of people stop committing ASB after one intervention, rising to nine out of 10 after three interventions. Many of these were warning letters and antisocial behaviour contracts which are voluntary measures.

Assaults on Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were  (a) shot at,  (b) injured by shootings and  (c) killed by shootings in each police force area in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09.

David Hanson: Available information relates to 2007-08 and is given in the following table.
	Data for 2008-09 are scheduled to be published in January 2010.
	
		
			  Crimes recorded by the police in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were fired and the principal victim was a police officer on duty, England and Wales, 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Police force area  Total  Total resulting in injury( 1)  Total resulting in fatal injury 
			  North-east region
			 Cleveland - - - 
			 Durham - - - 
			 Northumbria - - - 
			 
			  North-west region
			 Cheshire - - - 
			 Cumbria - - - 
			 Greater Manchester 2 1 - 
			 Lancashire 7 7 - 
			 Merseyside 4 1 - 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber region
			 Humberside - - - 
			 North Yorkshire - - - 
			 South Yorkshire - - - 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 - 
			 
			  East  M idlands region
			 Derbyshire - - - 
			 Leicestershire - - - 
			 Lincolnshire - - - 
			 Northamptonshire - - - 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 1 - 
			 
			  West  M idlands region
			 Staffordshire - - - 
			 Warwickshire 1 1 - 
			 West Mercia 2 1 1 
			 West midlands 4 3 - 
			 
			  East of England region
			 Bedfordshire - - - 
			 Cambridgeshire - - - 
			 Essex - - - 
			 Hertfordshire - - - 
			 Norfolk - - - 
			 Suffolk 1 - - 
			 
			  London region 6 1 - 
			 
			  South-east region
			 Hampshire - - - 
			 Kent - - - 
			 Surrey - - - 
			 Sussex - - - 
			 Thames Valley 2 2 - 
			 
			  South-west region
			 Avon and Somerset 1 - - 
			 Devon and Cornwall - - - 
			 Dorset - - - 
			 Gloucestershire 1 - - 
			 Wiltshire - - - 
			 
			  Wales
			 Dyfed-Powys - - - 
			 Gwent - - - 
			 North Wales - - - 
			 South Wales - - - 
			 
			  England and Wales 34 19 1 
			 (1) Includes slight, serious (which necessitated detention in hospital or involved fractures, concussion, severe general shock, penetration by a bullet or multiple shot wounds) and fatal injuries.

Asylum

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that those whose claim for asylum is refused but who are unable to return home immediately through no fault of their own are allowed to work in the UK pending their return.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 30 November 2009
	 It is not the Government's policy to allow asylum seekers or failed asylum seekers to work. The only exception to this is asylum seekers who have been waiting 12 months for a decision where this delay cannot be attributed to them. Allowing asylum seekers to work in these circumstances is in accordance with the EC Directive on the reception of asylum seekers.
	Where a decision has been made that a person does not require international protection, and there are no remaining rights of appeal or obstacles to their return, we expect unsuccessful asylum seekers to return voluntarily to their country of origin. A generous package of reintegration assistance is available to assist failed asylum seekers to return voluntarily to the country of origin.

Closed Circuit Television

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the conclusion of the review of the recommendations of the National CCTV Strategy.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 30 November 2009
	We are aiming to complete the review into the recommendations of the National CCTV Strategy by spring 2010.

Crime

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employees of his Department and its agencies were convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 30 November 2009
	We can provide complete information relating to this question only at a disproportionate cost. However, the information we do hold is set out in table 1 as follows.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of staff convicted of a criminal offence 
			   Number 
			 1998 (1)- 
			 1999 (1)- 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 (1)- 
			 2002 (1)- 
			 2003 (1)- 
			 2004 (1)- 
			 2005 (1)- 
			 2006 15 
			 2007 9 
			 2008 8 
			 2009 (to 31 October) 7 
			 (1) Less than 5.

Crime and Disorder Act 1988

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parenting orders have been issued under section 8 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 where  (a) an antisocial behaviour order has been made,  (b) a child or young person has been convicted of an offence and  (c) in any other relevant proceedings in each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Parenting orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 were piloted between 30 September 1998 and 31 March 2000 and commenced in England and Wales in June 2000. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, the Criminal Justice Act 2003, Police and Justice Act 2005, and the Education and Inspections Act 2006 amended parenting orders to increase their flexibility and widen their availability.
	The available information is shown in the following table which has been provided by the Youth Justice Board based on the parenting orders that youth offending teams were involved in.
	
		
			  Parenting Orders by legal basis England and Wales YOTs 
			  England and Wales  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Total 
			 Crime 1,069 1,014 1,049 3,132 
			 Education 213 166 230 609 
			 Other - - - 0 
			 Referral Order 183 227 295 705 
			 ASBO 33 64 46 143 
			 Sex Offences Prevention Order 0 1 0 1 
			 Child Safety Order 0 1 0 1 
			 Free Standing-YOT 7 16 8 31 
			 Free Standing-LEA 0 18 21 39 
			 Total - - - 4,661 
			  Note: Data for Education and Free Standing-LEA categories may not be complete, as YOTs are not always informed of these parenting orders.

Crime: Public Transport

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for  (a) drunk and disorderly conduct,  (b) assault,  (c) battery,  (d) sexual assault,  (e) indecent exposure,  (f) theft and  (g) breach of an antisocial behaviour order there were on (i) trains, (ii) buses and (iii) aeroplanes in each of the last five years in the lowest recorded administrative division for which figures are available, broken down by the (A) age and (B) ethnicity of the person arrested.

Alan Campbell: The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary and drugs offences. The data are also broken down by age group, gender, ethnicity and police force area.
	It is not possible to identify the number of arrests there were made on buses, trains or aeroplanes.

Crimes of Violence

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of incidents of violence against the person involved a  (a) knife,  (b) hitting implement,  (c) glass or bottle,  (d) stabbing implement,  (e) firearm,  (f) stone or stones,  (g) syringe and  (h) other implement in each police force area in 2008-09.

Alan Campbell: There are two main sources of crime statistics produced by the Home Office: the British Crime Survey (BCS) and police recorded crime.
	The BCS is a victimisation survey in which respondents are asked about their experiences of crime in the last 12 months. Within this survey, respondents are asked about their experience of the use of weapons in violent incidents. Due to the relatively low number of people who experience a violent incident with a weapon, it is not possible to provide data at the police force area level.
	It is possible to provide some information from various police recorded crime data sources, for knife and sharp instruments and firearm offences.
	Knife and sharp instrument offences are collected by the Home Office by a special additional data collection. These data include offences where a knife or sharp instrument has been used to stab or cut, or in a threat. Included within the definition of 'Sharp instruments' are stabbing implements, bottles and glass (when broken prior to the offence) and syringes. These data are shown in Table A. The offences covered by this collection which fall within the violence against the person category are attempted murder, threats to kill, GBH and ABH.
	Firearms offences data are also collected at force level via a special additional data collection. These are shown in Table B. The number of offences covered are greater than for the knife and sharp instrument collection, covering all offences within violence against the person where firearms could conceivably be used.
	Tables A and B exclude homicide data as the 2008-09 data are not yet available. Publication has been pre-announced for 21 January 2010.
	No data from police recorded crime are available for the other weapons types requested, hitting implements, stones or other implement.
	
		
			  Table A: Knife and sharp instrument offences recorded by the police for selected violence against the person offences, 2008-09 
			  Number and percentage 
			   Total of selected violence against the person offences (attempted murder, threats to kill, ABH and GBH)( 1, 2) 
			  Police force area, English regions and Wales  Offences involving a knife  Percentage involving a knife 
			 Cleveland 157 3 
			 Durham 121 3 
			 Northumbria 335 3 
			 North East Region 613 3 
			
			 Cheshire 474 7 
			 Cumbria 72 2 
			 Greater Manchester 1,244 5 
			 Lancashire 592 5 
			 Merseyside 456 6 
			 North West Region 2,838 6 
			
			 Humberside 256 3 
			 North Yorkshire 175 4 
			 South Yorkshire 397 3 
			 West Yorkshire 693 4 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Region 1,521 3 
			
			 Derbyshire 303 3 
			 Leicestershire 270 3 
			 Lincolnshire 126 3 
			 Northamptonshire 224 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 433 4 
			 East Midlands Region 1,356 4 
			
			 Staffordshire 591 6 
			 Warwickshire 149 5 
			 West Mercia 160 2 
			 West Midlands 1,801 6 
			 West Midlands Region 2,701 5 
			
			 Bedfordshire 212 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 261 5 
			 Essex 399 4 
			 Hertfordshire 60 1 
			 Norfolk 83 2 
			 Suffolk 151 4 
			 East of England Region 1,166 4 
			
			 London, City of 19 5 
			 Metropolitan Police 5,242 7 
			 London Region 5,261 7 
			
			 Hampshire 420 3 
			 Kent 374 3 
			 Surrey 101 2 
			 Sussex 534 6 
			 Thames Valley 668 4 
			 South East Region 2,097 4 
			
			 Avon and Somerset 523 5 
			 Devon and Cornwall 299 3 
			 Dorset 30 1 
			 Gloucestershire 124 3 
			 Wiltshire 138 4 
			 South West Region 1,114 3 
			
			 England 18,667 5 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys 91 3 
			 Gwent 111 2 
			 North Wales 125 3 
			 South Wales 374 4 
			 Wales 701 3 
			
			 British Transport Police 112 4 
			
			 England and Wales 19,480 5 
			 (1) Other violence against the person offences exist that are not included in this table that may include the use of a knife or sharp instrument. In this table 'offences involving a knife' refers to the use of a knife or sharp instrument. (2) Homicide data will not be available until January 2010. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Firearms offences recorded by the police for violence against the person offences, 2008-09 
			  Number and percentage 
			   Violence against the person offences( 1) 
			  Police force area, English regions and Wales  Offences involving a firearm  Percentage involving a firearm 
			 Cleveland 42 0.4 
			 Durham 18 0.2 
			 Northumbria 89 0.5 
			 North East Region 149 0.4 
			
			 Cheshire 42 0.3 
			 Cumbria 36 0.5 
			 Greater Manchester 440 1.0 
			 Lancashire 107 0.5 
			 Merseyside 178 0.9 
			 North West Region 803 0.7 
			
			 Humberside 54 0.3 
			 North Yorkshire 14 0.2 
			 South Yorkshire 135 0.7 
			 West Yorkshire 254 0.7 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Region 457 0.6 
			
			 Derbyshire 77 0.5 
			 Leicestershire 67 0.4 
			 Lincolnshire 22 0.2 
			 Northamptonshire 74 0.8 
			 Nottinghamshire 112 0.6 
			 East Midlands Region 352 0.5 
			
			 Staffordshire 50 0.3 
			 Warwickshire 34 0.6 
			 West Mercia 69 0.5 
			 West Midlands 493 1.0 
			 West Midlands Region 646 0.7 
			
			 Bedfordshire 20 0.3 
			 Cambridgeshire 21 0.2 
			 Essex 128 0.6 
			 Hertfordshire 25 0.2 
			 Norfolk 21 0.2 
			 Suffolk 22 0.2 
			 East of England Region 237 0.3 
			
			 London, City of 2 0.2 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,295 0.7 
			 London Region 1,297 0.7 
			
			 Hampshire 95 0.3 
			 Kent 77 0.3 
			 Surrey 56 0.4 
			 Sussex 29 0.1 
			 Thames Valley 102 0.2 
			 South East Region 359 0.3 
			
			 Avon and Somerset 107 0.4 
			 Devon and Cornwall 79 0.4 
			 Dorset 11 0.1 
			 Gloucestershire 46 0.5 
			 Wiltshire 41 0.5 
			 South West Region 284 0.4 
			
			 England 4,584 0.5 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys 16 0.3 
			 Gwent 55 0.6 
			 North Wales 49 0.4 
			 South Wales 62 0.3 
			 Wales 182 0.4 
			
			 British Transport Police(2) - - 
			
			 England and Wales 4,766 0.5 
			 (1) Homicide data will not be available until January 2010. (2) Data are not collected for British Transport Police.

Crimes of Violence: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) offences involving violence against the person,  (b) violent sexual offences and  (c) offences of robbery with violence there were in each basic command unit of the Northumbria police force area in each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Violence against the person offences recorded by Northumbria  p olice, by Basic Command Unit( 1) 
			  BCU name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Gateshead n/a n/a 3,080 2,655 2,961 2,432 2,164 
			 Gateshead East 2,143 2,236 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Gateshead West 1,240 1,062 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2004) n/a n/a 5,649 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 5,289 6,019 4,953 4,914 
			 Newcastle Central 1,738 1,804 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle East 1,182 1,166 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle North 1,587 1,733 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle West 1,519 1,439 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Northumberland 624 848 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2004) n/a n/a 2,683 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 2,452 2,917 2,329 2,297 
			 Northumberland (after April 2004) n/a n/a 3,759 3,490 4,149 2,951 3,193 
			 South Tyneside 2,568 2,500 2,252 2,637 2,711 2,289 2,023 
			 South-East Northumberland 2,749 2,809 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South-West Northumberland 536 462 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland n/a n/a 5,435 5,472 5,492 4,591 4,556 
			 Sunderland City 3,109 2,936 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland West 1,384 1,383 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Tynemouth 1,573 1,378 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wallsend 1,371 1,443 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Washington 1,848 1,598 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northumbria total 25,171 24,797 22,858 21,995 24,249 19,545 19,147 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Basic Command Unit names and areas covered have changed over the seven year period 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Sexual offences recorded by Northumbria  p olice, by Basic Command Unit( 1) 
			  BCU name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Gateshead n/a n/a 221 197 164 142 126 
			 Gateshead East 105 142 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Gateshead West 96 74 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2004) n/a n/a 411 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 354 363 313 207 
			 Newcastle Central 90 84 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle East 105 113 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle North 159 149 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle West 120 114 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Northumberland 40 47 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2004) n/a n/a 156 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 198 151 122 108 
			 Northumberland (after April 2004) n/a n/a 281 256 249 189 189 
			 South Tyneside 155 136 143 127 121 84 127 
			 South-East Northumberland 193 178 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South-West Northumberland 31 35 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland n/a n/a 305 298 274 227 232 
			 Sunderland City 131 130 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland West 85 85 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Tynemouth 119 117 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wallsend 103 120 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Washington 124 129 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northumbria total 1,656 1,653 1,517 1,430 1,322 1,077 989 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Robbery offences recorded by Northumbria  p olice, by Basic Command Unit( 1) 
			  BCU name  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Gateshead n/a n/a 189 186 159 113 81 
			 Gateshead East 187 172 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Gateshead West 66 55 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2004) n/a n/a 373 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 345 406 277 281 
			 Newcastle Central 128 113 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle East 106 69 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle North 101 85 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Newcastle West 143 123 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Northumberland 2 5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2004) n/a n/a 130 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside (after April 2005) n/a n/a n/a 133 114 100 91 
			 Northumberland (after April 2004) n/a n/a 63 73 74 72 55 
			 South Tyneside 169 140 109 90 89 65 60 
			 South-East Northumberland 75 56 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South-West Northumberland 2 6 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland n/a n/a 312 243 213 173 164 
			 Sunderland City 201 158 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sunderland West 52 35 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Tynemouth 80 75 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wallsend 60 82 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Washington 70 49 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Northumbria Total 1,442 1,223 1,176 1,070 1,055 800 732 
			 n/a =Not available. (1) Basic Command Unit names and areas covered have changed over the seven year period.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of maintaining his Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within his responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year.

Phil Woolas: The costs of maintaining Home Office websites (i.e. hosting, licensing, domain registration, and updates but excluding staff costs) has been as follows:
	2008-09: £577,000
	The projected cost for the financial year 2009-10 is £593,000. Again, this covers hosting, licensing, domain registration, and updates but excludes staff costs.

Deportation: Finance

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on deportations between 1 January and 1 November 2009.

Phil Woolas: The deportation process is integrated with the removals process and we are therefore unable to identify a specific unit cost for deportations as distinct from other removal types. The type of costs incurred in deporting a foreign national from the United Kingdom are casework, detention, removals and enforcement costs.

DNA

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department plans to publish the UK Border Agency's asylum process instruction about storage and retention of DNA and isotope data of asylum seekers.

Phil Woolas: Since 14 September an instruction relating to the UK Border Agency's Familial Relationship Testing pilot has been published, and is available on the UK Border Agency website. The pilot-which continues to run-involves the voluntary testing of families claiming asylum at the Asylum Screening Unit, where there are suspicions that the children in the family unit are not actually related to the adults as purported.
	The instruction is clear about the secure handling of samples, and their destruction at the conclusion of the asylum case.
	Another related pilot was also started on 14 September relating to the testing of isotope and DNA samples. This pilot (which was also supported by a publicly available published instruction at the time of commencement) sought to take non-invasive isotope and DNA samples and to use matching techniques to provide indications of possible country of origin.
	The pilot was suspended on 5 October to allow for a review of feedback.
	The pilot resumed on 20 November and will be supported by updated instructions reflecting the steps now in place to anonymise data, and addressing issues of sample handling and retention.

Driving Offences: Insurance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) convictions,  (b) cautions and  (c) issues of fixed penalty notices there were relating to uninsured drivers in each police force area in 2008-09; and what the average penalty upon conviction was.

Alan Campbell: Information on fixed penalty notices for motoring offences issued in 2008 are scheduled to be published in March 2010.
	The Ministry of Justice advises that court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much revenue has been received from student visas in the last  (a) year and  (b) five years.

Phil Woolas: The information is as follows:
	 (a) In the last year (12 months ended September 2009), £51,959,697 has been received from student visa and PBS tier 4 applications, including those from dependents
	 (b) In the last five years (60 months ended September 2009), £166,833,972 has been received from student visa and PBS tier 4 applications, including those from dependents.

Fingerprints: Databases

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people with records on the national fingerprint database were aged  (a) under 10,  (b) from 10 to 15,  (c) 16 or 17 and  (d) 18 or more years old in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 30 November 2009
	This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has issued on the application of section 17 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 to the practice of Spitfire pistol tooling; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: Manufacturing equipment, machinery and tools are not covered by the provisions of section 17 and the associated compensation scheme. Any such items surrendered to the police are ineligible for payment and can be retrieved by their owner.

Firearms: Crime

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) gun crimes and  (b) arrests relating to gun crime there were in (i) England and (ii) each police force area in 2008.

Alan Campbell: Available information relates to offences in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used during 2007-08, and are shown in the table. Data for 2008-09 are scheduled to be published on 21 January 2010. Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat.
	Data on arrests relating to gun crime cannot be provided since (a) the centrally held Home Office firearm offences database does not record detection or suspect data, and (b) offences involving firearms cannot be identified on the centrally held Ministry of Justice arrests database.
	
		
			  Firearm offences( 1 ) (excluding air weapons) by police force area, England and Wales 2007-08 
			  Recorded crime 
			  Police force area  Total number of offences 2007-08 
			  North East Region  
			 Cleveland 15 
			 Durham 45 
			 Northumbria 78 
			   
			  North West Region  
			 Cheshire 59 
			 Cumbria 18 
			 Greater Manchester 1,160 
			 Lancashire 349 
			 Merseyside 398 
			   
			  Yorkshire and the Humber Region  
			 Humberside 58 
			 North Yorkshire 17 
			 South Yorkshire 202 
			 West Yorkshire 332 
			   
			  East Midlands Region  
			 Derbyshire 70 
			 Leicestershire 134 
			 Lincolnshire 41 
			 Northamptonshire 164 
			 Nottinghamshire 240 
			   
			  West Midlands Region  
			 Staffordshire 123 
			 Warwickshire 107 
			 West Mercia 124 
			 West Midlands 974 
			   
			  East of England Region  
			 Bedfordshire 83 
			 Cambridgeshire 30 
			 Essex 260 
			 Hertfordshire 112 
			 Norfolk 43 
			 Suffolk 38 
			   
			  London Region 3,399 
			   
			  South East Region  
			 Hampshire 100 
			 Kent 82 
			 Surrey 70 
			 Sussex 69 
			 Thames Valley 322 
			   
			  South West Region  
			 Avon and Somerset 116 
			 Devon and Cornwall 111 
			 Dorset 21 
			 Gloucestershire 43 
			 Wiltshire 49 
			   
			  Wales  
			 Dyfed-Powys 25 
			 Gwent 47 
			 North Wales 53 
			 South Wales 84 
			   
			 England total 9,656 
			   
			 England and Wales total 9,865 
			 (1) Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat.

Fires: Atherstone on Stour

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Warwickshire police authority on Government assistance for funding the police inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the firefighter fatalities at Atherstone on Stour, Warwickshire on 2 November 2007; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: We have regular discussions with representatives of Warwickshire police authority.
	I have provided £3.045 million special grant to Warwickshire police to support this operation. I will also consider further requests from the police authority under the special grant criteria.

Human Trafficking

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has evaluated on any relationship between levels of human trafficking into the UK and economic conditions.

Alan Campbell: None.

Human Trafficking

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition of human trafficking his Department uses; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The UK uses the definition of trafficking set out in the Palermo Protocol to the 2000 UN Convention against Transnational Crime (UNTOC), Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children which defines human trafficking as:
	Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

Hunting

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) charges,  (b) prosecutions,  (c) convictions,  (d) cautions and  (e) fines there were for breaches of the Hunting Act 2004 in each police force area in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008.

Alan Campbell: Information provided by the Ministry of Justice, showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts, found guilty at all courts, given a court fine and cautioned for offences under the 2004 Hunting Act in England and Wales, broken down by police force area for 2007 can be viewed in the table.
	The Ministry of Justice does not collect charging data centrally. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Defendants cautioned, proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty and sentenced to a fine at all courts for offences under the 2004 Hunting Act by police force area, England and Wales 2007( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 
			  Number 
			  Police force area  Cautioned  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Given a court fine 
			 Avon and Somerset - 2 2 2 
			 Cheshire - 1 1 1 
			 Cleveland - 1 1 1 
			 Derbyshire - 2 2 2 
			 Hampshire - 4 4 - 
			 Humberside - 8 8 7 
			 Kent 2 - - - 
			 Lancashire - 2 2 2 
			 Lincolnshire - 7 7 7 
			 Merseyside 3 25 19 17 
			 North Yorkshire 1 - - - 
			 Northumbria 1 6 - - 
			 Suffolk - 2 1 1 
			 Thames Valley 1 - - - 
			 North Wales - 2 1 1 
			  
			 England and Wales 8 62 48 41 
			 (1) Only forces with data have been listed in the table. (2) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (4) The court proceedings statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (5 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Labour Migration

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the factors which affect levels of labour migration.

Phil Woolas: There is a complex range of economic, social and policy factors that will influence levels of labour migration. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research published the results of research into the economic determinants of migration to the UK2003:
	http://www.niesr.ac.uk/pubs/dps/dp216.pdf
	They found that a number of factors influenced legal migration flows including UK incomes relative to other EU countries and to source countries, the existing stock of immigrants in the UK and UK unemployment. The research does not cover asylum seekers, currently being considered. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 30 November 2009,  Official Report, column 486W.
	In addition to economic factors, the points-based system, which was rolled out over the course of 2008, is an important means of controlling migration for the purposes of work or study. In response to recent reports from the independent Migration Advisory Committee, we will be adjusting the thresholds that determine the points allocated to prospective entrants, and have reviewed the shortage occupation list, to ensure that our policy truly reflects the needs of the United Kingdom.

Missing Persons

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of missing  (a) children and  (b) adults of each (i) age group, (ii) nationality and (iii) region of residence have been recorded by the Missing Persons Bureau of the National Policing Improvement Agency since April 2008.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 26 November 2009
	The HERMES database used for the recording of missing persons data is an operational database used for policing purposes. The data are normally only used for management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications. The data are therefore provisional and may be subject to change.
	A code of practice for the collection of missing persons data was introduced in April 2009. Although limited data have been collected as some police forces have implemented the code, it is unlikely that any meaningful and complete national picture of missing persons will be available until 2010, when all police forces will become compliant with the code. Meanwhile the available figures can be regarded as indicative only.
	2,855 adults and 1,862 children were reported as missing to the Missing Persons Bureau between 1 April 2008 and 31 October 2009. Note that these figures relate to incidents of missing rather than individuals; the same person can go missing several times. 3,774 (80 per cent.) of these cases have subsequently been marked as 'closed' on the database (i.e. the missing person has returned or been located). However, research suggests(1) that 99 per cent. of missing persons are located within one year of going missing. Not all cancellations are received by the bureau. As force compliance with the code increases, the percentage of closed cases on HERMES will increase.
	Data relating to cases of missing  (a) children and  (b) adults of each (i) age group and (ii) nationality are given in the following tables. Data relating to 'age' are given at the date of extraction from the database. The data have been grouped by Association of Chief Police Officers region and a total figure has been given for each region.
	(1) Tarling, R. and Burrows, J. (2004) The nature and outcome of going missing: the challenge of developing effective risk assessment procedures', International Journal of Police Science and Management, Vol.6, No. 1, 16-26.
	
		
			  Table 1a: Children recorded as missing by Missing Persons Bureau , 1 April 2008 to 31 October 2009 
			  Number 
			  Age g roup  Nationality  Total 
			  0-4 Afghanistan (1)- 
			  Argentinian (1)- 
			  British 20 
			  Indian (1)- 
			  Iraqi (1)- 
			  Polish 3 
			  Romanian (1)- 
			  Sierra Leonean (1)- 
			  Sri Lankan (1)- 
			  Unknown 39 
			  Vietnamese (1)- 
			 0-4 Total  71 
			
			  5-8 American (1)- 
			  British 16 
			  Korean (1)- 
			  Portuguese (1)- 
			  Unknown 26 
			 5-8 Total  47 
			
			  9-11 American (1)- 
			  Bangladeshi (1)- 
			  British 11 
			  Bulgarian (1)- 
			  Czech (1)- 
			  Indian (1)- 
			  Italian (1)- 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Sudanese (1)- 
			  Ugandan (1)- 
			  Unknown 33 
			 9-11 Total  53 
			
			  12-14 Afghanistan 5 
			  Austrian (1)- 
			  British 138 
			  Czech (1)- 
			  French (1)- 
			  Ghanian (1)- 
			  Iraqi (1)- 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Kosovan (1)- 
			  Moroccan 3 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Pakistani (1)- 
			  Romanian 3 
			  Turkmenistanian (1)- 
			  Unknown 166 
			  Vietnamese 3 
			 12-14 Total  328 
			
			  15-17 Afghanistan 104 
			  African 3 
			  Albanian 4 
			  Algerian 8 
			  American (1)- 
			  Angolan (1)- 
			  Bangladeshi (1)- 
			  Brazilian (1)- 
			  British 505 
			  Bulgarian (1)- 
			  Burundian (1)- 
			  Chinese 20 
			  Colombian (1)- 
			  Congolese (1)- 
			  Czech (1)- 
			  Egyptian (1)- 
			  Eritrean 11 
			  Ethiopian (1)- 
			  Finnish (1)- 
			  French (1)- 
			  Ghanian (1)- 
			  Indian 12 
			  Indonesian (1)- 
			  Iranian 3 
			  Iraqi 4 
			  Irish (1)- 
			  Italian (1)- 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Kosovan (1)- 
			  Kuwaiti (1)- 
			  Latvian (1)- 
			  Lithuanian (1)- 
			  Moldovan (1)- 
			  Moroccan 3 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Norwegian (1)- 
			  Pakistani 3 
			  Palestinian 3 
			  Polish 11 
			  Portuguese 3 
			  Romanian 5 
			  Sierra Leonean (1)- 
			  Somalian 4 
			  South African (1)- 
			  Sudanese (1)- 
			  Thai (1)- 
			  Turkish (1)- 
			  Ukrainian (1)- 
			  Unknown 552 
			  Vietnamese 65 
			  Zimbabwean 3 
			 15-17 Total  1,363 
			
			 0-17 Total  1,862 
			 (1) Less than 3.  Note: Exact figures in individual cells hidden to protect statistical confidentiality. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1b: Children recorded as missing by Missing Persons Bureau ,  April 2008 to October 2009 
			  Number 
			   Age group 
			  ACPO Region  0-4 t otal  5-8 t otal  9-11 t otal  12-14 t otal  15-17 t otal  0-17 t otal 
			 East Midlands 8 3 3 47 138 199 
			 Eastern 5 3 7 23 93 131 
			 London 7 4 7 11 87 116 
			 North East (1)- (1)- 9 38 87 137 
			 North West 17 10 5 28 144 204 
			 Scotland 4 (1)- (1)- (1)- (2)- 12 
			 South East 6  6 74 372 458 
			 South West 4 (1)- (1)- 19 55 80 
			 Wales (1)- 3 (1)- 10 32 47 
			 West Midlands 11 8 3 43 177 242 
			 International (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (2)- 7 
			 Unknown 8 11 7 32 171 229 
			 Total 71 47 53 328 1,363 1,862 
			 (1) Less than 3. (2) 5 or less.  Note: Exact figures in individual cells hidden to protect statistical confidentiality. Age group is based on age as at 23 November 2009. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2a: Adults recorded as missing by Missing Persons Bureau ,  1 April 2008 to 31 October 2009 
			  Number 
			  Age g roup  Nationality  Total 
			  18-21 Afghanistan 35 
			  Albanian (1)- 
			  Algerian (1)- 
			  American (1)- 
			  British 169 
			  Cameroonian (1)- 
			  Chinese 26 
			  Congolese (1)- 
			  Czech 3 
			  Dutch (1)- 
			  Eritrean 5 
			  Ethiopian (1)- 
			  French (1)- 
			  Gambian (1)- 
			  German (1)- 
			  Ghanian (1)- 
			  Greek (1)- 
			  Hungarian (1)- 
			  Indian 17 
			  Iranian 4 
			  Iraqi 6 
			  Irish (1)- 
			  Ivory Coastian (1)- 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Lithuanian (1)- 
			  Mauritanian (1)- 
			  Moldovan (1)- 
			  Nigerian 9 
			  Pakistani 5 
			  Palestinian 4 
			  Polish 3 
			  Portuguese (1)- 
			  Romanian 6 
			  Sierra Leonean (1)- 
			  Slovakian (1)- 
			  Somalian 10 
			  Sudanese (1)- 
			  Turkish 4 
			  Ukrainian (1)- 
			  Unknown 140 
			  Vietnamese 12 
			  Zambian (1)- 
			  Zimbabwean (1)- 
			 18-21 Total  490 
			
			  22-39 Afghanistan 3 
			  African (1)- 
			  Albanian 6 
			  Algerian (1)- 
			  American (1)- 
			  Angolan (1)- 
			  Antiguan (1)- 
			  Argentinian (1)- 
			  Australian 3 
			  Bangladeshi 3 
			  British 534 
			  Burmese (1)- 
			  Cameroonian 3 
			  Canadian (1)- 
			  Chinese 13 
			  Colombian (1)- 
			  Congolese 3 
			  Czech (1)- 
			  Danish (1)- 
			  Dutch 4 
			  Egyptian (1)- 
			  Eritrean (1)- 
			  Ethiopian 3 
			  Fijian (1)- 
			  Filipino 8 
			  French 8 
			  Gambian 4 
			  German (1)- 
			  Ghanian 3 
			  Greek 3 
			  Hong Kongalese (1)- 
			  Hungarian (1)- 
			  Indian 19 
			  Indonesian (1)- 
			  Iranian (1)- 
			  Iraqi 8 
			  Irish 8 
			  Italian (1)- 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Japanese (1)- 
			  Kenyan 3 
			  Korean (1)- 
			  Kosovan (1)- 
			  Laosian (1)- 
			  Latvian (1)- 
			  Lithuanian 6 
			  Mongolian (1)- 
			  Moroccan 4 
			  Nepalese 3 
			  New Zealander (1)- 
			  Nigerian 10 
			  Pakistani 13 
			  Polish 28 
			  Portuguese 9 
			  Romanian 17 
			  Russian 6 
			  Samoan (1)- 
			  Saudi Arabian (1)- 
			  Sierra Leonean (1)- 
			  Slovakian 4 
			  Somalian 14 
			  South African 4 
			  Sri Lankan 3 
			  Sudanese (1)- 
			  Swedish 3 
			  Tanzanian (1)- 
			  Thai (1)- 
			  Turkish 5 
			  Turkmenistanian (1)- 
			  Ugandan (1)- 
			  Ukrainian 4 
			  Unknown 371 
			  Vietnamese 3 
			  Yugoslavian (1)- 
			  Zimbabwean 8 
			 22-39 Total  1,207 
			
			  40-59 Albanian (1)- 
			  Algerian (1)- 
			  Australian (1)- 
			  Belgian (1)- 
			  British 452 
			  Bulgarian (1)- 
			  Chinese 3 
			  Congolese (1)- 
			  Czech (1)- 
			  Dutch (1)- 
			  Ecuadorian (1)- 
			  Egyptian (1)- 
			  Ethiopian (1)- 
			  Filipino (1)- 
			  French 3 
			  Gambian (1)- 
			  German (1)- 
			  Hungarian (1)- 
			  Indian 8 
			  Indonesian (1)- 
			  Irish 9 
			  Italian 4 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Korean (1)- 
			  Latvian 3 
			  Lithuanian (1)- 
			  Maltese (1)- 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Pakistani 8 
			  Polish 15 
			  Romanian (1)- 
			  Serbian (1)- 
			  Somalian 7 
			  South African 3 
			  Sri Lankan (1)- 
			  Tobagan (1)- 
			  Tunisian (1)- 
			  Turkish (1)- 
			  Ugandan 3 
			  Unknown 325 
			  Vietnamese (1)- 
			  Zairean (1)- 
			 40-59 Total  880 
			
			  60-79 Afghanistan (1)- 
			  Australian (1)- 
			  Barbadian (1)- 
			  British 112 
			  Chilean (1)- 
			  German (1)- 
			  Ghanian (1)- 
			  Indian (1)- 
			  Irish 7 
			  Italian 3 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Pakistani (1)- 
			  Polish (1)- 
			  Portuguese (1)- 
			  Romanian (1)- 
			  Somalian (1)- 
			  Sri Lankan (1)- 
			  Unknown 88 
			 60-79 Total  228 
			
			  80+ British 25 
			  Cypriot (1)- 
			  Indian (1)- 
			  Italian (1)- 
			  Jamaican (1)- 
			  Korean (1)- 
			  Lithuanian (1)- 
			  Nigerian (1)- 
			  Unknown 17 
			 80+ Total  50 
			
			  18-80+ Total  2,855 
			 (1) Less than 3.  Note: Exact figures in individual cells hidden to protect statistical confidentiality. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2b: Adults recorded as missing by Missing Persons B , 1 April 2008 to 31 October 2009 
			  Number 
			   Age group 
			  ACPO Region  18-21  t otal  22-39 t otal  40-59 t otal  60-79 t otal  80+ t otal  18-80+  t otal 
			 East Midlands 48 131 73 16 5 273 
			 Eastern 33 99 75 16 4 227 
			 Guernsey/IOM(3)/Jersey (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 3 
			 London 50 172 65 25 7 319 
			 North East 17 62 73 13 5 170 
			 North West 75 184 106 30 4 399 
			 Scotland 10 46 32 10 6 104 
			 South East 131 165 167 43 7 513 
			 South West 15 62 55 20 5 157 
			 Wales (1)- 23 22 7 (2)- 57 
			 West Midlands 44 124 93 25 2 288 
			 International 6 8 9 (2)- (1)- 26 
			 Unknown 58 131 107 20 3 319 
			 Total 490 1,207 880 228 50 2,855 
			 (1) 5 or less. (2) Less than 3. (3) Isle of Man.  Note: Exact figures in individual cells hidden to protect statistical confidentiality age group is based on age as at 23 November 2009.

Police: Bedfordshire

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attacks on police officers there have been in Mid-Bedfordshire constituency in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: Data on assaults are not collected centrally by constituency. Data for the numbers of assaults on police officers in Bedfordshire for 2004-05 to 2008-09 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Assaults on police officers in Bedfordshire, 2004-05 to 2008-09( 1,2,3,4) 
			   Assaults (headcount) 
			 2008-09 94 
			 2007-08 106 
			 2006-07 124 
			 2005-06 101 
			 2004-05(4) 102 
			 (1) Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. (2) Data are provisional. (3) Data are collected by the Home Office on behalf of HMIC. From 2005-06, assaults data were no longer published in the HMIC Annual Report. Current arrangements for the publication of these data are that they will be released as supplementary datasets to the HMIC Annual Report by Home Office Statistics. (4) Data for 2004-05 have been revised since being published in the HMIC Annual Report, when it was stated that the figures were being reviewed in the light of possible changes in recording practice. Source data were previously populated from the crime recording system, but this was changed to populate source data from the self-reported HR system.

Police: Databases

David Howarth: EWHC 1105.

David Hanson: The Home Office has not issued guidance to police forces on retention of images following the Court of Appeal ruling in the case of Wood  v. Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis.
	The Home Office is working closely with ACPO on the implications of the judgment for all forces and we will be acting on the recommendation in Part 2 of the HMIC review, Adapting to Protest, published on 25 November to clarify the legal framework for the use of overt photography by police during public order operations.

Police: Road Traffic Control

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of police funding for 2008-09 has been allocated to traffic policing in each police force area in England and Wales; how many dedicated traffic police officers there were  (a) in 2008 and  (b) on the latest date for which information is available; and what percentage of the overall number of police officers these figures represent in each case.

David Hanson: The Government allocate funding to police authorities in the round. The allocation of resources to traffic policing is a matter for the chief constable and police authority, who are responsible for assessing local needs.
	There were 6,299 full-time equivalent police officers whose primary role or function was listed as traffic as at 31 March 2008 in the 43 forces of England and Wales, representing 4.4 per cent. of police officers.
	As at 31 March 2009 this number fell to 5,992, representing 4.2 per cent. of the overall total.

Radicalism

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to encourage those affected by acts of extremism to report such events to the police.

Alan Campbell: The Government, when meeting with individuals and groups who have been targeted by acts of extremism, will routinely advise them to report any crime to their local force.
	The Government are also spreading best practice on encouraging third-party reporting schemes where people are not confident enough or prepared to approach the police directly. This will contribute to achieving our objective of increasing the proportion of hate crime victims who report its occurrence.

Radicalism

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether his Department plans to create a legal definition of the term domestic extremism for use by the police;
	(2)  whether his Department plans to issue guidance to police forces on the definition and use of the term domestic extremism.

David Hanson: The Government have no plans to create a legal definition of domestic extremism. The website of the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit already sets out guidance on the definition and use of domestic extremism, which is a term used to describe criminal acts in furtherance of a campaign.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers is currently updating public order guidance and training, and the Government will work with ACPO to ensure that revised guidance and training are clear on the use of the term domestic extremism.

Roads: Accidents

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much  (a) time and  (b) money was spent by police forces in (i) England and (ii) Wales in dealing with accidents involving drivers who qualified less than a year prior to the accident in the last 12-month period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how much  (a) time and  (b) money was spent by police forces in (i) England and (ii) Wales in dealing with accidents involving drivers under 20 years old in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations have been referred to the Serious Organised Crime Agency by  (a) regional police forces,  (b) officials of his Department,  (c) UK Border Agency officials and  (d) HM Revenue and Customs officials in (i) 2009 and (ii) each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: The majority of SOCA's operational activity falls within the scope of the United Kingdom Organised Crime Control Strategy, and is initiated, planned and executed in collaboration with one or more partner agencies, including other law enforcement agencies from the UK and overseas. In addition to this work within the Control Strategy, SOCA provides a range of support activities for partners, principally UK law enforcement agencies. There is, therefore, no single referral and adoption system.
	SOCA's operational contribution to the UK Control Strategy in the three financial years since it was formed has been:
	
		
			   Operations and projects 
			 2006-07 404 
			 2007-08 459 
			 2008-09 556 
		
	
	This work, covering the range of threats outlined in the United Kingdom Threat Assessment of Organised Crime, is normally multi-faceted and involves concurrent activity by SOCA and partners, across the UK and internationally, aimed at a range of outcomes, including, but not confined to, criminal justice disposals.
	Under arrangements agreed between HM Revenue and Customs and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), HM Revenue and Customs notify SOCA of seizures made at ports that meet specific criteria. SOCA undertakes systematic checks on every notification, but investigates only where the size of the seizure, significance of the criminals involved and operational opportunities presented are assessed as appropriate for further effective action, in line with the priorities of the UK Organised Crime Control Strategy. The number of notifications over the last three years has been:
	
		
			  As at 31 August each year  Number 
			 2009 105 
			 2008 99 
			 2007 74

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Serious Organised Crime Agency is taking to disrupt the smuggling of guns into the UK.

Alan Campbell: SOCA's operational activity focusing on the threat from firearms falls under the UK Organised Crime Control Strategy, and in particular the firearms programme of activity. This multi-agency firearms programme, which is led by ACPO, aims to reduce the possession and use of firearms by organised criminals, and by street gangs involved in the drugs trade. This includes SOCA operational activity in collaboration with law enforcement partners in the UK and overseas targeting the importation to the UK (by fast parcels, internet purchases and conventional smuggling means) and distribution of illegal firearms and component parts.
	SOCA currently leads 11 operations, eight projects and 11 single-strand inquiries under the firearms programme. SOCA also regularly shares intelligence reporting on firearms, including on smuggling methodologies, with those in law enforcement and Government in a position to use the information to take action against criminal problems.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new sexual assault referral centres he expects to be opened in the period to April 2011.

Alan Campbell: The recently published strategy entitled Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls sets out the Government's commitment to have a SARC operational in every police force area by April 2011.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what qualitative and quantitative data on people referred to sexual assault referral centres such centres are required to report to his Department.

Alan Campbell: SARCs are not required to report data to the Home Office on victims referred to SARCs. However, as set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy published on 25 November, accurate and comparable data are essential to enable local areas to plan, implement and monitor services for victims of violence against women and girls. As such, SARCs should seek to share appropriate data with local partners as necessary to inform assessments of service need. The recently published A Resource for Developing Sexual Assault Referral Centres sets out appropriate data collection procedures for SARCs.

Sexual Offences: Alcoholic Drinks

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department holds on the number of victims of sexual violence referred to sexual assault referral centres who were intoxicated by alcohol at the time of the alleged assault in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available.

Terrorism

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanisms the  (a) National Public Order Intelligence Unit,  (b) National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit and  (c) National Domestic Extremism Team are accountable; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The National Public Order Intelligence Unit, the National Extremism Tactical Co-ordination Unit and the National Domestic Extremism Team report to the ACPO National Co-ordinator for Domestic Extremism, who is in turn accountable to the ACPO Committee for Terrorism and Allied Matters. The accounts of ACPO, as a registered company, are subject to audit.
	Following the publication on 25 November 2009 of the report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Adapting to Protest, the Government will act on the report's recommendations to review the governance and accountability structures of the national domestic extremism units to ensure they are sufficiently transparent and clear.

Victim Support Schemes

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what performance measures the effectiveness of  (a) each independent sexual violence adviser,  (b) each sexual assault referral centre and  (c) the Sexual Violence National Support Team will be assessed; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: Individual Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) are not currently assessed by the Home Office. However, 'Rape: the Victim Experience Review', published on 25 November by Sara Payne and informing the development of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, highlights the important role of ISVAs in providing support to victims of sexual violence. The Review recommended that ISVAs should be professionally trained and accredited to put them on a par with other professional roles. As a result, we have committed to providing centrally funded and properly accredited training for ISVAs, including CPD, networking and best practice support.
	Each Sexual Assault Referral Centre is assessed against performance measures which are based on local commissioning and service specifications. There is not a single national set of performance measures, although the recently published 'A Resource for Sexual Assault Referral Centres' sets out minimum elements that providers are expected to adopt.
	The Response to Sexual Violence National Support Team offers free consultancy style tailored improvement support to all police forces and their local area partners across England and Wales providing them with the tools, techniques and information required to enable them to set up Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) to the standard set out in the national service guidelines published in October 2009. The value and impact of the team to local areas will be evaluated in 2010-11 as part of a wider evaluation of the NST programme.

Victim Support Schemes

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims of sexual violence have been referred to each Sexual Assault Referral Centre for  (a) examination and  (b) support in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available.

Victim Support Schemes

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the proportion of referrals to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre for  (a) examination and  (b) support which have resulted in criminal charges.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available.

Victim Support Schemes

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support his Department makes available to post-pubertal adolescent victims reporting sexual violence within a week of an alleged assault.

Alan Campbell: Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) are one-stop locations where victims of recent sexual assault can receive medical care and counselling quickly and empathetically, and which allow for the collection of forensic evidence for potential prosecutions. Young people can access the full range of examination and support services from the majority of SARCs which offer specific services for young people. This includes some SARCs who have a dedicated young persons Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA). We are encouraging all SARCs to ensure that they are able to offer the full range of quality services to children and young people. The Home Office has provided capital and resource funding to expand the number and quality of SARCs since 2003-04.
	The Home Office has also provided just over £3 million to support ISVAs since they were piloted in 2006. ISVAs provide independent support and advocacy to victims of sexual violence and abuse throughout and beyond the criminal justice process. There are a number of ISVAs who work specifically with children and young people who have experienced sexual violence.

Victim Support Schemes: Finance

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department  (a) made available in 2009-10 and  (b) plans to make available in 2010-11 to support (i) independent sexual violence advisers and (ii) independent domestic violence advisers; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office made £860,000 available to support the expansion of ISVAs in 2009-10 and expects to do so in 2010-11. The Home Office also allocated £3.5 million in 2009-10 and expects to do so in 2010-11 to the regional Government offices to contribute to funding of both ISVAs and multi agency risk assessment conferences.

Victim Support Schemes: Finance

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department expects to provide to support the operation of existing sexual assault referral centres in 2010-11.

Alan Campbell: The recently published strategy entitled Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls sets out the Government's commitment to double central investment in Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in 2010-11 making £3.2 million of funding available. We expect the majority of this funding to be used to support existing SARCs.

Victim Support Schemes: Finance

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding his Department  (a) has provided in the last 12 months and  (b) intends to provide in the next 12 months for the establishment and operation of the Sexual Violence National Support Team.

Alan Campbell: The Department of Health provided £0.7 million to fund the National Support Team on Response to Sexual Violence in 2009-10 and has committed a further £0.7 million for 2010-11.

Yvonne Fletcher

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department has obtained from the Metropolitan Police on the name of the principal suspect in the case of the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher.

David Hanson: The investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, as with the investigation of any crime in the UK, is an operational matter for the police. It is not for the Home Office to intervene in particular criminal investigations.

CABINET OFFICE

Caparo Group

Graham Stuart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether her Department holds contracts with each company of the Caparo Group.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office does not currently hold any contracts with the Caparo Group.

Charities: Fundraising

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many charities were found to be raising money for a purpose outside their charitable objectives in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the commission to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew Hind, dated 26 November 2009:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question (302141) on how many charities were found to be raising money for a purpose outside their charitable objectives in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
	Your question is very broad and covers a number of potential situations. Therefore it is difficult to answer comprehensively. However we have analysed the information we hold on closed cases in our compliance function (which deals with the most serious concerns about charities), and found that between 26 November 2008 and 25 November 2009 there were 33 cases which involved charities acting outside their objects or misapplying charitable funds. I should stress that this figure excludes any cases which remain ongoing, or instances which have not merited our regulatory action but have been dealt with through giving advice and guidance to the charity concerned to ensure this does not happen again.
	We recently published a report, Back on Track, on the work of our Compliance function over the last financial year, and this gives a breakdown of all investigations closed during 2008-09 by the issues involved. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
	I hope this is helpful and would very happy to discuss this issue further with you.

Charity Commission

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much was paid in  (a) expenses,  (b) moneys to compensate for tax liability and  (c) other remuneration paid to each commissioner of the Charity Commission in the last year for which information is available;
	(2)  what declarations of political activity have been made by each  (a) commissioner and  (b) executive director of the Charity Commission.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 1290-92W.

Charity Commission: Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what payments the Charity Commission has made to Mandate Communications/AS Biss in the last 12 months; at what cost; for what purposes; and if she will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
	 Letter from Andrew Hind, dated 26 November 2009:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question (302211) on what payments the Charity Commission has made to Mandate Communications/AS Biss in the last 12 months; at what cost; for what purpose; and whether we can place in the Library a copy of the contracts under which such payments have been made.
	We made no payments to Mandate between 24 November 2008 and 24 November 2009. However, in September 2008 we made a payment of £4,406.25 to them for the purpose of providing training. It is not appropriate to place a copy of the relevant contract in the Library of the House, for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
	I hope this is helpful.

Childbirth: Poverty

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the number of people who were born into poverty in  (a) the UK,  (b) England,  (c) the North East and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Helen Goodman: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of children born into families in relative poverty is not available for any period.
	This is because the main source of income data, the Family Resources Survey, is a snap-shot survey, capturing a household's situation at the time of interview. This means that the sample size for households with very young children will be small. It may also be the case that the response rate from families with very young children will be lower than usual and therefore may not be representative.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) page hits and  (b) visitors her Department's website received in 2008-09.

Angela Smith: During April 2008 through to March 2009 the Cabinet Office website, www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk, has received 11,760,880 page views and 1,144,236 unique visitors.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the cost was of maintaining her Department's website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining websites within the Cabinet Office's responsibility in the 2009-10 financial year;
	(2)  what the cost was of maintaining  (a) the Cabinet Office and  (b) the No. 10 website in the 2008-09 financial year; and what the forecast cost is of maintaining that website in the 2009-10 financial year.

Tessa Jowell: It is not possible to provide a single figure for the running costs of the Cabinet Office website as they are contained within the overall costs of the Cabinet Office e-media team, which is also responsible for all forms of digital communication. It should be noted that Cabinet Office does not supply forecast figures, only audited figures.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Prime Minister on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1482W, which explained that as a result of accounting changes it is not possible to provide a single comparable figure for the running costs of the No. 10 website.

Departmental Scientists

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) scientific advisers and  (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in her Department.

Angela Smith: Cabinet Office does not have any posts designated as scientific advisors or scientific posts. However, there are a range of posts across the Department that require scientific knowledge or experience, depending on the nature of the role.

Departmental Taxis

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many miles  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in her Department travelled by taxi in the course of their official duties in each year since 1997; and at what cost to the public purse in each such year.

Angela Smith: Management information provided by the Cabinet Office's taxi contract has been collected since 2007-08; this information is available in the Cabinet Office's Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09, copies of which have been placed in the Library and are available from the Department's website. It is not possible to provide figures prior to this period without incurring disproportionate cost, nor is it possible to distinguish between journeys made by Ministers and officials without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Theft

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff of the Prime Minister's Office have  (a) been reprimanded,  (b) had their contract of employment terminated and  (c) been prosecuted for theft of departmental property in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: The Prime Minister's Office is part of the Cabinet Office.
	No Cabinet Office staff have been reprimanded, dismissed or prosecuted for theft of property during the last three years.

Driving

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanisms are in place to ensure that staff who drive  (a) a vehicle for which (i) her Department and (ii) its executive agency is responsible have valid driving licences and  (b) their own vehicles in the course of their official duties for (A) her Department and (B) its executive agency have valid driving licences and insurance; what guidance is issued to those staff in respect of road safety while carrying out official duties; what steps are taken to monitor compliance with that guidance; what requirements there are on such staff to report to their line managers accidents in which they are involved while driving in the course of their official duties; and whether such reports are investigated.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office owns one minibus that is used by the Emergency Planning College. The licenses of staff are visually inspected by the trainer prior to attending the driving training course specific to this vehicle.
	Staff are trusted to give accurate information. Equally staff are trusted to notify the Department should their circumstances change.
	Cabinet Office does not check employees' driving licenses prior to the use of private vehicles for official journeys. Cabinet Office guidance states that if a member of staff uses their own vehicle for official travel they are responsible for ensuring the following insurance cover obtained at their own expense:
	Business cover insurance in addition to fully comprehensive insurance for the vehicle.
	Either fully comprehensive insurance and business cover or third party insurance and business cover for any motor cycle.
	Cabinet Office has limited requirement for car hire. Provision of car hire services are contracted via our supplier Arval, which is responsible for checking that drivers are suitably qualified, which is further endorsed by in-house authorisation documents that state drivers must be qualified.
	The Cabinet Office does not specifically advise staff on road safety if not using the Cabinet Office vehicle (minibus for which specific training is given).
	The Cabinet Office would be informed by both the contractor and the person(s) involved should an accident occur.
	There is no specific guidance should an accident occur in a member of staff's own vehicle.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK-born people,  (c) non-UK EU nationals and  (d) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in the (i) public and (ii) private sector in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available; what proportion of the number of people employed in each sector the figures in each such category represent; and what the equivalent figures were in 1987.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK-born people,  (c) non-UK EU nationals and  (d) non-KU nationals of working age were in employment in the (i) public and (ii) private sector in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available; what proportion of the number of people employed in each sector the figures in each such category represent; and what the equivalent figures were in 1987. (300823)
	The available information is shown in the attached tables. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Estimates for 1987 are not available. The earliest available estimates on a comparable basis are for 1995 and these have therefore been included.
	In the LFS the distinction between public and private sector is based on respondents' views about the organisation for which they work. The public sector estimates provided do not correspond to official Public Sector Employment estimates. Those are derived directly from employers and are based on National Accounts definitions, but do not include a nationality breakdown.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. This is assessed in a footnote to the table.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Part 1: Employment levels for people of working age( 1)  in employment by public and private sector and by nationality and country of birth Three months ending September 1995 and three months ending March, June, September and December, 2007 to 2009 United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			   Thousand 
			   Public sector( 2,3)  Private sector( 2,4)  Total employment( 4,5) 
			   UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6)  UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6)  UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6) 
			 1995 Q3 5,729 5,493 86 116 18,451 17,783 292 345 24,357 23,444 381 467 
			 2007 Q4 6,305 5,979 148 218 19,618 18,617 859 936 26,050 24,718 1,010 1,163 
			 2008 Q1 6,299 5,970 136 249 19,447 18,457 928 928 25,870 24,547 1,068 1,186 
			 2008 Q2 6,349 6,025 138 236 19,404 18,388 917 955 25,882 24,532 1,065 1,201 
			 2008 Q3 6,293 5,973 134 238 19,513 18,493 906 988 25,928 24,580 1,045 1,234 
			 2008 Q4 6,387 6,052 124 266 19,245 18,206 923 1,015 25,749 24,372 1,052 1,290 
			 2009 Q1 6,443 6,109 113 268 18,891 17,842 979 940 25,454 24,067 1,097 1,215 
			 2009Q2 5,444 6,124 125 263 18,658 17,639 949 917 25,227 23,881 1,078 1,190 
			 2009 Q3(7) *6,514 *6,192 ***130 **247 *18,775 *17,771 *922 *912 *25,416 *24,082 *1,060 1,168 
		
	
	
		
			  Part 2: Working age employment in public and private sector by nationality and country of birth, as a proportion of the total working age employment in each sector. Three months ending September 1395 and three months ending March, June, September and December, 2007 to 2003 United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			   Public sector( 2,3)  Private sector( 2,4)  Total employment( 4,5) 
			   UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6)  UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6)  UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK EU nationals( 6)  Non-EU nationals( 6) 
			 1995 Q3 97 93 1 2 97 93 2 2 97 93 2 2 
			 2007 Q4 95 90 2 3 92 87 4 4 92 88 4 4 
			 2008 Q1 94 88 2 4 91 87 4 4 92 87 4 4 
			 2008 Q2 94 90 2 4 91 86 4 5 92 87 4 4 
			 2008 Q3 94 90 2 4 91 86 4 5 92 87 4 4 
			 2008 Q4 94 89 2 4 91 86 4 5 92 87 4 5 
			 2009 Q1 94 90 2 4 91 86 5 5 92 87 4 4 
			 2009 Q2 94 90 2 4 91 86 5 5 92 87 4 4 
			 2009 Q3 95 90 2 4 91 86 5 4 92 87 4 4 
			 (1) Men aged 16-64 and woman aged 16-19. (2) It should be noted that public and private sector estimates - are based on survey respondents' views about the organisation for which they work. - do not correspond to the national Accounts definition used for public Sector Employment estimates. (3) Includes nationalised industry or state corporation, central government, civil service, local government or council (incl. police, fire services and local authority controlled schools or colleges), university or other grant funded educational establishments, health authority or NHS trust and armed forces (4) Includes self employed and unpaid family workers (5) Includes those whose type of employer was not known (6) Non-UK EU comprises Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden only in 1995 Q3. Meaningful comparisons between 1995 Q3 and 2009 Q3 are not possible due to the changes in the composition of the EU. (7) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period of the quality of the estimates, as described below.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Key Statistical Robustness * Estimates are considered precise ** Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** Estimates are considered acceptable **** Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Population Survey and Annual Labour Force Survey

Foreign Workers

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  in which 10 employment sectors there is the highest proportion of migrant workers;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of migrant workers in each employment sector in each year since 2002.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking: (i) in which 10 employment sectors there is the highest proportion of migrant workers (300559); and (ii) the number of migrant workers in each employment sector in each year since 2002. (300560)
	The available information is shown in the attached tables. Estimates of migrant workers, that is, people in employment in the UK who were born outside the UK, are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Such estimates are only available for eight broad industrial sectors. Therefore, in answer to the first question, Table 1 shows the proportion of the workforce in each sector that comprises migrant workers. Table 2 provides the number of migrant workers in each sector in each year since 2002.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. This is assessed in a footnote to the tables.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics Statistical Bulletin which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Table 1: Proportion( 1)  of non UK born workers aged 16 and over by industry( 2) , t hree months ending September 2009 ,  United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Industry sector  Percentage 
			 Agriculture, Fishing, Energy and Water 6 
			 Manufacturing 11 
			 Construction 9 
			 Distribution, Hotels and Restaurants 15 
			 Transport and Communication 16 
			 Finance and Business Services 15 
			 Education, Health and Public Administration 12 
			 Other Services 11 
			 Total(3) 13 
			 (1) The number of non UK born workers as a percentage of all employed in each industry. (2) Standard Industrial Classification 92. (3) Includes those whose industry of employment is unknown.  Source:  Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Employment levels of non UK born workers aged 16 and over by industry', three months ending September 2002-09 ,  United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   Agriculture, Fishing, Energy and Water  Manufacturing  Construction  Distribution, Hotels  and  Restaurants  Transport  and  Communication  Finance  and  Business Services  Education, Health  and  Public Administration  Other Services  Total( 2) 
			 2002 33 302 106 555 198 498 644 151 2,499 
			 2003 25 283 110 605 184 507 711 157 2,591 
			 2004 29 302 135 585 207 514 775 167 2,728 
			 2005 34 335 140 611 239 562 832 163 2,935 
			 2006 41 381 165 705 251 599 886 212 3,254 
			 2007 49 459 182 722 285 697 914 211 3,549 
			 2008 58 419 206 813 295 746 974 200 3,727 
			 2009 ***52 **342 **190 *819 **292 *746 *1,012 **196 *3,684 
			 (1) Standard Industrial Classification 92 (2) Includes those whose industry of employment is unknown.  Coefficients of Variation have been calculated as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below;  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Key Coef ficient of * 0 = CV5 ** 5 = CV 10 *** 10 = CV 20 **** CV 20 It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Annual Population Survey and Annual Labour Force Survey

Futurebuilders England: Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what payments Futurebuilders has made to APCO public affairs in the last 12 months; for what purposes; and if she will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made.

Angela Smith: Futurebuilders England Ltd (a subsidiary of the Social Investment Business) is an independent company, which delivers the Futurebuilders Programme under contract to the Cabinet Office. Details of individual contracts between Futurebuilders England and its suppliers are a matter between Futurebuilders England and the commercial supplier involved.

Government Communications

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff in No. 10 Downing Street are members of the Government Communication Network.

Tessa Jowell: The Government Communication Network (GCN) is not a membership organisation. It is essentially an online network for professional support and development.
	Any civil servant who works in a communication role can, if they so wish, register online as an individual to gain access to GCN and the resources it provides through its website.
	GCN registration figures do not distinguish between Cabinet Office and No 10. Downing street.

Government Communications

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are members of the Government Communication Network.

Angela Smith: The Government Communication Network is not a membership organisation. It is primarily a virtual, online network.
	Any civil servant who works in a communication role can register online as an individual to gain access to GCN and the resources it provides through its website.

Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Answer of 16 July 2009,  Official Report, column 624W, on the Advertising Advisory Committee, who the members of the Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board are.

Angela Smith: The current members of the Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board are:
	John Mayhead (Chairman, private sector)
	Andrew Stott (Cabinet Office)
	Mark Lund (Central Office of Information)
	Sian Jarvis (Department of Health)
	Sue Garrard (Department for Work and Pensions)
	Tim Mack (National Savings and Investment)
	Yasmin Diamond (Home Office)
	Amanda Mackenzie (private sector)
	Elizabeth Fagan (private sector)
	Tim Evans (private sector)

Information Commissioner

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with the Information Commissioner on his Office's policy of fast-tracking its investigations relating to certain requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has had with the Information Commissioner on the resourcing of his Office; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Any discussions the Cabinet Office holds with the Information Commissioner are confidential between both parties.

Members: Allowances

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost to the public purse has been of preparation of the report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life on hon. Members' expenses and allowances.

Tessa Jowell: Cost of the Committee's inquiry is set out in its report.

Ministers: Visits Abroad

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 16 September 2009,  Official Report, column 2208W, on Ministers: visits abroad, for what reason the requirement for Ministers to inform the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before undertaking visits abroad was removed from the Ministerial Code when it was revised in 2007.

Tessa Jowell: I have nothing further to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 16 September 2009,  Official Report, column 2208W.

Senior Civil Servants: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Taylor: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions the  (a) Civil Service Code and  (b) a Civil Service Management Code was found to have been breached following investigations of the activities of a member or members of departmental boards in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The Civil Service Commissioners publish information in their annual reports about concerns raised under the Civil Service Code, which is incorporated in the Civil Service Management Code. Copies of the Commissioners' annual report for 2008-09 are available in the Libraries of the House.

Third Sector: Finance

Tom Levitt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether her decision to divert funding from the Campaigning Research Programme to the Hardship Fund was made in accordance with Compact principles.

Angela Smith: Although this difficult decision to divert funding away from the Campaigning Research Programme to the Hardship Fund is not in line with Compact principles, the Government remain fully committed to championing the Compact.
	Due to the feedback received from the third sector, the additional funding will provide grants to organisations suffering financial hardship as a result of the extraordinary pressures caused by the recession. This will mean that more third sector organisations will be able to deliver vital services to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in society at a time when they need help most.

Unemployment: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the unemployment rate for  (a) Catholics and  (b) Protestants in Northern Ireland was in each of the last 20 years;
	(2)  what the most recent percentage unemployment rate is for each ward in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: These matters are now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Unemployment: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the economic inactivity rate was of each  (a) parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the last 20 years and  (b) electoral ward in Northern Ireland in the latest year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: This matter is now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Administration.

Young People: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the number of 18 to 30-year-olds in each ward in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of the population they represented in each case.

Angela Smith: This matter is now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Administration.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children in Care

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many local authorities in England have contracted out their provision for care leavers.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 10 November 2009,  Official Report, column 342W, on children: databases, what the mandatory training for authorised users and administrators referred to comprises.

Dawn Primarolo: All authorised users of ContactPoint receive the following three mandatory training modules:
	'Introduction to ContactPoint:' This module explores the background to ContactPoint and why it has been developed. It explains: what ContactPoint does and how it will benefit children, young people, families and users; the role of ContactPoint in supporting the broader aims of helping children's services work together to meet the needs of individual children and young people; how ContactPoint manages data; and the role of users in using and maintaining the system.
	'The Using ContactPoint module,' which covers: accessing ContactPoint from the web application browser; editing certain personal details; changing passwords and security questions; gaining mediated access to ContactPoint; an explanation of how ContactPoint assembles the most current and reliable record for each child; and searching for and retrieving ContactPoint records.
	There are also three additional sections that are optional, depending on the specific role of the user and local working practices: creating and updating records; requesting and removing a shield; and archiving data.
	'The Understanding your Responsibilities' module which covers: the safe and secure use of ContactPoint; what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate use; users' responsibilities under the Data Protection Act in relation to ContactPoint; an explanation of how ContactPoint usage is monitored; and the penalties for misuse.
	In addition to all of the core modules, users working in data administration and user management, ContactPoint managers and ContactPoint trainers will also complete one specialist module appropriate to their role.

Children: International Co-operation

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009,  Official Report, column 507W, on children: international co-operation, what arrangements there are for the UK to report to UNESCO its progress on the promotion of education to foster a culture of peace and non-violence.

Diana Johnson: holding answer 30 November 2009
	There are no specific arrangements to report on progress and we understand that UNESCO has not sent any requests for information on the resolution to the UK Government.

Children's Centres: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children's centres there were in  (a) Enfield North constituency and  (b) the London Borough of Enfield in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table sets out the number of Sure Start children's centres that have been designated in  (a) Enfield North and  (b) the London borough of Enfield in each year since 2006.
	
		
			   London borough of Enfield  Enfield North constituency 
			 2006 7 0 
			 2007 4 2 
			 2008 6 4 
			 2009 4 2 
			 Total 21 8

Education

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) costs and  (b) likelihoods for parents of multiple-birth children in placing their children in the same early years setting;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of levels of access for multiple-birth children to attend the same early years  (a) settings and  (b) sessions; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government recognise that most parents would prefer siblings, including multiple birth children, to be in the same child care setting. Local authorities have a duty to ensure there is sufficient provision in their area, but this does not necessarily ensure that the specific needs and preferences of families can always be met. The availability of places within individual settings will depend on their occupancy levels and other factors. The Government make significant funding available annually (a substantial part of the £4 billion per year currently spent on under-fives education and care) to ensure that all children aged three and four have access to 12.5 hours free early education a week, rising to 15 hours in 2010.
	For those working parents who pay for additional hours, provision is made through the child care element of working tax credit for parents of two or more children to receive a higher level of financial support than those with one child.

Education

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the level of access which multiple-birth families have to swimming pools and playgrounds; and if he will issue guidance to providers on the matter.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	Sport England has advised that they provide two design guidance documents on their website which set out best practice advice on access arrangement to swimming pools. These documents can be accessed here:
	http://www.sportengland.org/facilities_planning/design_guidance_notes.aspx?sortBy=alphapageNum=3
	The Swimming Pool Design document outlines the basic principles and concepts of good swimming pool design aimed at those involved in facility development. The Swimming Pools Checklist document is a checklist for reviewing swimming pool projects during development applicable to both new and refurbishment projects, cross referred to Swimming Pool Design Guidance Notes.
	While they do not specifically reference multiple birth families they do reference the principles of designing and managing facilities to maximise use by families in general.
	DCSF have advised, with regards to playgrounds, that they have made a substantial investment in providing all children and young people with safe and stimulating places to play. The Play Strategy, launched in December 2008, sets out Government's commitment to invest £235 million to deliver 3500 new or refurbished play areas, plus 30 staffed adventure playgrounds, by 2011.
	Local authorities are required to consult with children, young people, families (regardless of the number of children within them) and the wider community to ensure that their views are at the heart of the design and development of these play areas in their local neighbourhoods. These play areas should be fully inclusive and accessible for all children, including those with disabilities and should offer open access play opportunities, in which children and young people are generally free to independently come and go as they please, and be free of charge.

Extra-curricular Activities: North East

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) out-of-school and  (b) holiday play schemes for children there were in (i) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (ii) Sunderland in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Table 1 shows the number of out of school clubs in Sunderland local authority in each of the last five years for which data were collected. The last year that Ofsted collected information on out of school clubs was 2008 as changes in legislation meant that new categories were introduced for the collection of child care data. Information on the number of holiday play schemes is not available as Ofsted do not collect these data. Information is not collected at parliamentary constituency level.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number( 1, 2 ) of out of school clubs for children under eight years of age , p osition at 31 March each year 
			   Sunderland local authority 
			 2004 20 
			 2005 30 
			 2006 50 
			 2007 50 
			 2008 50 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Data source: Ofsted.

Further Education: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of young people who have taken up a learning place under the September guarantee for school leavers in  (a) Enfield North constituency and  (b) the London borough of Enfield in 2009.

Iain Wright: Information collected by Connexions services shows that 3,197 16-year-olds and 2,295 17-year-olds educated in the London borough of Enfield received an offer of a place in learning in 2009. Information on the number of 16-year-old school leavers who took up their offers will be available in February 2010. Separate figures are not available for Enfield North.
	We have taken decisive action to strengthen existing provision and put in place new support, training and jobs for young people, and have announced plans to build on this by guaranteeing every 16 and 17-year-old who is NEET in January 2010 an offer of an entry to employment place, and the education maintenance allowance to go with this. This will ensure that those who were unable to accept an offer under the September Guarantee due to illness or personal circumstances, or who have become NEET since September, receive a further opportunity to reengage quickly in learning.

Gifted Children: North West

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in  (a) Crewe and Nantwich constituency and  (b) Cheshire East local authority area have been identified as gifted and talented since 2007.

Diana Johnson: Through the School Census schools are asked to confirm the number of gifted and talented pupils they have identified. The following tables provide data on how many children have been identified as gifted and talented in the January census since 2007 in the Crewe and Nantwich constituency and Cheshire East local authority area.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools( 1) : Number and percentage( 2)  of gifted and talented pupils( 3,4) 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Crewe and Nantwich 590 7.6 500 6.6 520 6.5 
			 Cheshire East 2,090 7.5 2,160 7.9 2,010 7.5 
			 England 282,310 6.9 331,580 8.1 353,210 8.7 
		
	
	
		
			  State funded secondary schools( 1,5) : Number and percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 2,3) 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Crewe and Nantwich 820 12.5 740 11.5 950 15.2 
			 Cheshire East 3,220 14.0 3,490 15.4 3,410 15.2 
			 England 416,440 12.5 448,380 13.6 466,820 14.3 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed (2) The number of gifted and talented pupils expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in the same cohort. (3) Headcount of pupils. (4) Excludes dual registrations. (5) Includes CTCs and Academies.

Gifted Children: Staffordshire

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in  (a) Tamworth constituency and  (b) the Staffordshire local authority area have been identified as gifted and talented since 2007.

Diana Johnson: Through the School Census schools are asked to confirm the number of gifted and talented pupils they have identified. The following tables provide data on how many children have been identified as gifted and talented in the January census since 2007 in the Tamworth constituency and Staffordshire county council area.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools: Number( 1)  and percentage( 2)  of gifted and talented pupils( 3, 4) 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Tamworth 180 2.3 170 2.2 320 4.3 
			 Staffordshire 1,220 1.9 2,030 3.3 2,840 4.6 
			 England 282,310 6.9 331,580 8.1 353,210 8.7 
		
	
	
		
			  State funded secondary schools( 1,5) :Number and percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 2, 3) 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 Tamworth 450 7.8 510 9.3 520 9.6 
			 Staffordshire 5,620 9.4 5,710 9.7 6,580 11.3 
			 England 416,440 12.5 448,380 13.6 466,820 14.3 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) The number of gifted and talented pupils expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in the same cohort. (3) Headcount of pupils. (4) Excludes dual registrations. (5) Includes CTCs and Academies.

Holiday Play Schemes

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) out-of-school and  (b) holiday play schemes there were in (i) Lewes, (ii) East Sussex, (iii) the South East and (iv) England in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The table shows the number of out of school clubs in England, the south-east Government office region and East Sussex local authority in each of the last five years for which data were collected. The last year that Ofsted collected information on out of school clubs was 2008 as changes in legislation meant that new categories were introduced for the collection of child care data.
	Information on the number of holiday play schemes is not available as Ofsted do not collect these data. Information is not collected at parliamentary constituency level.
	
		
			  Number( 1)  of out of school clubs for children under eight years of age-position at 31 March each year 
			   England  South-east Government office region  East Sussex local authority 
			 2004 9,200 1,300 60 
			 2005 9,700 1,400 60 
			 2006 10,500 1,600 60 
			 2007 10,600 1,500 50 
			 2008 10,700 1,600 60 
			 (1) Figures over 100 have been rounded to the nearest 100 and figures under 100 have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Ofsted

Pre-school Education: Finance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been allocated to each children's services department in each local authority for implementation of the early years single funding formula in 2010-11.

Dawn Primarolo: The free entitlement to early education for every three and four-year-old is funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which has increased by on average 13.1 per cent. per pupil between 2008-09 and 2010-11. Funding has also been made available through the standards fund grant to support the flexible extension of the free entitlement, which local authorities can use to support the implementation of their local single funding formula if required (£340 million for 2010-11). It is for local authorities to determine in consultation with their Schools Forum the distribution of the Schools Budget (including the DSG).

Schools: Admissions

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to make the rules on deferring and delaying school entry more comprehensible for  (a) parents and  (b) admission authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The DCSF will provide information to parents and local authorities about the benefits to children of entering reception class in the September immediately after their fourth birthday. The information will cover the right of parents to defer entry until their children reach compulsory school age.

Schools: Racism

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what requirements there are on schools to record alleged racist statements and actions which take place on their grounds; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general duty on all public authorities, including schools, to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination; promote equality of opportunity; and promote good race relations.
	In 2006 the Department issued two guidance documents to schools on race relations. The first document, Recording and reporting racist incidents guidance, states that a school must have a written race equality policy; advises on recording and investigating incidents; and recommends that schools should report all incidents to the local authority at least annually. The second document, Tackling bullying around race, religion and culture, forms part of our overall guidance to schools on bullying, Safe to Learn: Embedding Anti-bullying Work in Schools. The guidance recommends that schools should record all incidents of bullying and use the data to monitor their anti-bullying policies.
	In 2010, the DCSF intend to introduce a new statutory duty on schools to record incidents of bullying between pupils, racist incidents and incidents of verbal and physical abuse against school staff. We intend to consult later this year on whether the new duty should require schools to report all bullying incidents to their local authority, and whether types of bullying incident (eg racist, disablist, homophobic, etc.) should be included.

Specialised Diplomas: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people are studying for 14 to 19 diplomas in  (a) Enfield North constituency and  (b) the London borough of Enfield in 2009-10.

Iain Wright: Figures from local authorities of numbers of young people enrolled on a Diploma course in September 2009 will have been submitted, collated and confirmed by the end of the year.

Specialised Diplomas: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students are enrolled on a 14 to 19 diploma course in each subject in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) South Yorkshire.

Iain Wright: The 14 to 19 Diploma was introduced in the academic year 2008/09. Data for this year were published via the DCSF website on 11 November 2009:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STA/t000888/index.shtml
	The number of learners who participated in a course of study towards a Diploma for all or part of the academic year 2008/09 in  (a) the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and  (b) the Metropolitan County of South Yorkshire, up to and including 31 August 2009, as identified by the number of diploma learners registered on the QCDA Diploma Aggregation Service (DAS) data is:
	
		
			   (a) Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley  (b) Metropolitan County of South Yorkshire 
			 Construction and the Built Environment 35 122 
			 Creative and Media 0 35 
			 Engineering 0 58 
			 Information Technology 0 44 
			 Society, Health and Development 28 28 
			 Total 63 287 
			  Source: Diploma Aggregation Service 
		
	
	Initial figures from local authorities on 2009/10 Diploma learners will have been returned and confirmed by the end of 2009.

Sure Start Programme: Bedfordshire

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he plans to extend the operation of the Sure Start programme in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

Dawn Primarolo: There are a total of five designated Sure Start children's centres offering services to around 2,900 under-fives and their families in the Mid-Bedfordshire constituency. A further five designated children's centres are planned to be delivered by March 2010.
	Local authorities are responsible for rolling out Sure Start children's centre programmes in their areas so that by March 2010 there are at least 3,500 centres, one for every community. We are on track to achieve this target.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Buildings: Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what mechanisms are in place to collect information on an annual basis to monitor the progress that is being made towards meeting emissions targets for housing and other buildings.

Joan Ruddock: The Government collect data on energy consumption and emissions from a variety of sources. The Digest of UK Energy Statistics, an annual publication available on the DECC website, includes substantial information about energy and fuel use in housing and other buildings. The energy and fuel use data are then converted into carbon dioxide emissions using carbon emissions factors supplied by industry or in some cases by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The emissions data are also published annually on our website.
	Both energy use and emissions data can be found here:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/statistics.aspx

Carbon Emissions: Heating

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on the electric heating sector of the proposed Standard Assessment Procedure methodology.

Joan Ruddock: The Department is currently examining all responses received to our consultation on the proposed changes to the Standard Assessment Procedure including those from the UK electric heating industry. Officials have since requested further information from the industry which we will carefully examine before any decision is taken in amending SAP.

Carbon Emissions: Housing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of homes in Tamworth constituency classed as social housing were insulated under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target scheme in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009 to date;
	(2)  how many homes have been insulated in the Tamworth constituency under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme to date; and what percentage of the housing stock in Tamworth constituency has been insulated under CERT.

Joan Ruddock: This information is not held centrally. CERT is a GB-wide obligation and under the governing Regulations, Government cannot oblige energy suppliers to report on where measures are installed under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target. However, we are progressing a voluntary agreement with the energy suppliers to this end, which we hope to have in place this year. This will report all CERT insulation data into the Home Energy Efficiency Database held by the Energy Saving Trust, and allow area based analysis.

Carbon Emissions: Housing

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what qualifications are required for a person to undertake home energy advice work related to the carbon emissions reduction target.

Joan Ruddock: Article 3 of the Electricity and Gas (Carbon Emissions Reduction) (Amendment) Order 2009 sets out the qualifications required. These are:
	(a) City and Guilds (6176) in Energy Awareness;
	(b) Level 3 of the National Vocational Qualification 6049-03 (Provide Energy Efficiency Services);
	(c) A qualification based on units one to five of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Home and Community Energy Advisers which qualification is awarded by a body which has been approved and quality assured by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator; or,
	(d) A qualification that is recognised by a member state of the European Union, an EEA state or Turkey.

Climate Change Adaptation Sub-Committee

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates the Climate Change Adaptation Sub-Committee has met.

Dan Norris: I have been asked to reply.
	The Adaptation Sub-Committee has so far met four times, on the following occasions:
	30 July 2009
	3 September 2009
	23 October 2009
	10 November 2009.

Departmental Legal Costs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the  (a) cost and  (b) purpose was of legal (i) representation and (ii) advice sought by his Department and its agencies in each year since May 1997.

Joan Ruddock: The Department is not able to determine this information without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Official Cars

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of providing official cars for the use of  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in the last 12 months.

Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, with responsibility for city and regional networks, on 16 July 2009,  Official Report, column 80WS.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which  (a) Ministers and  (b) special advisers (i) planned to attend and (ii) attended the reception held by his Department on 10 November 2009.

Joan Ruddock: This event was attended by all DECC Ministers and one DECC special adviser.

Exhaust Emissions: Shipping

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the level of carbon dioxide emissions from ships in 2008; what initiatives are being considered to encourage retrofitting of low carbon technologies; and if he will assess the effectiveness of the introduction of a carbon levy on imported goods with income used to tackle climate change in the developing world.

Joan Ruddock: Shipping is responsible for some 2 per cent. of global emissions. We continue to work on reducing overall emissions on shipping, and will be seeking a global sectoral approach to deliver this in the Copenhagen negotiations, where the UK will be calling for a 20 per cent. reduction from 2005 levels. Establishment of a carbon price in the shipping sector will help drive technical innovation by the industry. We are in discussion on a range of options for funding poorer nations' efforts to tackle climate change, but we do not believe an import levy is an effective or efficient means to do so as it provides no certainty of environmental benefits.

Fuel Poverty: Wales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the effect on the level of fuel poverty in Wales of the rise in domestic  (a) energy and  (b) gas bills to 2020 outlined in the UK Renewables Strategy.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	Fuel poverty is a devolved issue and the response is therefore a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Fuel Poverty: Wales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the level of fuel poverty in Wales in the last five years.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	Fuel poverty is a devolved issue and the response is therefore a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Nuclear Engineering: Training

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to ensure that sufficient numbers of specialist nuclear engineers are being trained.

David Kidney: The Government recognises the challenge of ensuring that the UK has enough specialist nuclear engineers to maintain and decommission existing nuclear power stations as well as building new ones. The Office for Nuclear Development (OND) in DECC is working very closely with the employer led National Skills Academy for Nuclear, and Cogent (the Sector Skills Council for the nuclear sector) to address this challenge.
	Specifically we are improving science provision in schools, have charged Cogent with taking forward a training strategy, and have helped set up the National Skills Academy for Nuclear to improve the supply of specialist skills at all levels, including nuclear engineering.
	In addition, DECC Ministers have regular discussions with the energy industry about skills development issues relating to new nuclear build.
	The OND is currently working in partnership with a number of bodies, including Cogent, to develop a high level skills and capability plan detailing exactly what skills will be needed, the volume of different skills and when they will be needed in order to be able to have new nuclear power plants built and generating electricity by 2018. With this detailed plan in place we will then work to identify and close any potential skills gaps in the nuclear workforce before they become critical.

Nuclear Power

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis was for the Prime Minister's announcement to the Confederation of British Industry Conference on 23 November 2009 that the Government had increased its plans for new nuclear capacity from 12 to 16 gigawatts.

David Kidney: Government's policy is that it is in the public interest to allow energy companies to fund, develop and build new nuclear power stations and that Government will take active steps to make the conditions right for investment and enable new nuclear to come on line as soon as possible.
	Energy companies have announced plans to build around 16 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity. The increase in new nuclear capacity results from the recent commitment of up to 3.6 gigawatts by a consortium of GDF SUEZ SA, Iberdrola SA and Scottish and Southern Energy plc following their purchase of a site near Sellafield from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Nuclear Power Stations: Cumbria

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the risks of fluvial flooding to the three sites in Cumbria named in the National Nuclear Policy Statement as suitable for prospective new nuclear power plants.

David Kidney: The Government assessed whether it is reasonable to conclude, at a strategic level, that a nuclear power station within the nominated sites at Kirksanton, Braystones and Sellafield in Cumbria could be protected against flood risk including the potential effects of climate change, storm surge and tsunami, taking into account possible countermeasures and mitigations.
	This assessment included a consideration of fluvial flooding and the results of the assessment were published in the Nuclear National Policy Statement on 9 November 2009. This is available at:
	http://www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk/nuclear
	In assessing flood risk the Government have been advised in particular by the Environment Agency and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. Sites were assessed against the climate change allowances in Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) and UK Climate Projections 2009 (UKCP09) findings.
	The Government are consulting on their preliminary conclusions until February 2010 and will continue to work with the Environment Agency (and others) to ensure that the Nuclear National Policy Statement reflects up-to-date assessment of the strategic flood risk to the site. Detailed flood risk assessments would be required by the Infrastructure Planning Commission at the point at which any application for development consent came forward.

Power Stations

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to his oral statement of 9 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 30-33, on energy national policy statements, which generation technology will be used at each of the 20 gigawatt generation facilities which are under construction or have been consented to.

David Kidney: The following table provides a breakdown of the power stations that are either under construction or have planning consents, by type. It is based on data from National Grid.
	
		
			  Gigawatt 
			  Type  Under construction  With planning consent 
			 Coal 0.0 0.8 
			 Gas 5.1 6.7 
			 Wind 2.0 2.7 
			 Other renewable energy 2.0 0.6 
			 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) 0.6 0.0 
			 Interconnector 1.2 0.0 
			 Total 9.0 10.8

Power Stations: EU Law

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which power stations in the UK have a limited life derogation under the Large Combustion Plant Directive; and when each is expected to close.

David Kidney: The following power stations in the UK have opted out of the large combustion plant directive:
	Ballylumford;
	Cockenzie;
	Didcot A;
	Fawley;
	Ferrybridge C;
	Grain;
	Ironbridge;
	Kingsnorth;
	Littlebrook D; and
	Tilbury.
	They must close by the end of 2015 or when they have run for 20,000 hours since 1 January 2008, whichever is the sooner. Within these constraints, decisions about when they will close are commercial matters for the operators.

Renewable Energy: Wales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the UK Renewables Strategy, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the national cost of the renewable energy strategy by 2030 which will be borne by consumers in Wales.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The cost of the Renewable Energy Strategy, including the impact on average consumer bills was set out in the overall impact assessment, published alongside the strategy in July 2009.
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uksupply/energy_mix/renewable/res/res.aspx
	The Department has not made an assessment of costs borne by consumers in Wales.

Warm Front Scheme

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what the average waiting times were for  (a) surveying of property,  (b) completion of insulation improvements and  (c) completion of heating improvements under the Warm Front scheme for each of the last 18 months, broken down by local authority;
	(2)  how many people applied for a Warm Front grant in each of the last 18 months, broken down by local authority; and how many such applications have not been processed to date.

David Kidney: The data requested are not readily available and will have to be extrapolated from existing records. Eaga, the scheme manager, has advised the Department that this process may take up to 10 working days. Once the data are available a spreadsheet will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Warm Front Scheme

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many recipients of Warm Front grants in each local authority area waited longer than  (a) three months and  (b) six months for heating improvements to be completed in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008 and (v) 2009; and how long such recipients have waited in each case.

David Kidney: The data requested are not readily available and will have to be extrapolated from existing records, Eaga, the scheme manager, has advised the Department that this process may take up to 10 working days. Once the data are available a spreadsheet will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Warm Front Scheme

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many requests for funding under the Warm Front scheme have been  (a) made and  (b) granted in each of the last three years.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	Eaga, the scheme manager, does not record the number of ineligible applicants who approach the scheme seeking assistance, as such, the total number of requests for assistance are not recorded.
	However, the total number of people receiving assistance in each of the last three complete years, alongside the total number of qualifying referrals, are as follows:
	
		
			   Qualifying referrals  Assisted households 
			 2006-07 303,136 253,079 
			 2007-08 347,391 268,900 
			 2008-09 308,473 233,594

Warm Front Scheme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the merits of including liquefied petroleum gas amongst the fuels eligible for funding under the Warm Front scheme.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	The current Warm Front specification allows LPG systems to be repaired or replaced under the scheme.
	The present regulations do not allow LPG systems to be installed as new measures. However, the Department is aware that LPG can provide a valuable alternative for many potential applicants, especially those in Park Homes, and is currently undertaking work to establish whether or not they should be included.

Warm Front Scheme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much money remains to be disbursed from the Warm Front scheme in 2009-10.

David Kidney: holding answer 30 November 2009
	 The funding allocated for 2009-10 is set at £369 million. At the end of November 2009, scheme spend will stand at £308 million, leaving £61 million to be disbursed over the remainder of the financial year.

Warm Front Scheme: Disabled People

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will ensure that carers and parents of all children with disabilities are able to access funding from the Warm Front Scheme.

David Kidney: Householders with a child under 16, in receipt of one or more of the benefits listed as follows are eligible for assistance under the Warm Front scheme.
	Income support
	Council tax benefit
	Housing benefit
	Job seeker's allowance (income-based)
	Pension credit
	Income-related employment and support allowance
	Householders in receipt of disability living allowance are eligible for assistance under the Warm Front scheme. However a disability living allowance award for a child in a household will not qualify for the Warm Front grant. A review of our fuel poverty policies is under way and part of its remit is to examine whether we can make existing fuel poverty policies more effective, including exploring whether we can more effectively identify and target assistance at the most vulnerable households.

Warm Front Scheme: Sunderland

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households within the City of Sunderland received assistance under the Warm Front programme in 2008-09; and how many such households he estimates will receive such assistance in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11.

David Kidney: The number of households who received assistance in the City of Sunderland under Warm Front in 2008-09 is 1,651.
	The number of households who have received assistance within the City of Sunderland under the Warm Front programme in the period 1 April 2009 until 31 October 2009 is 1,217.
	Estimates are not compiled on an individual city or local authority basis and therefore figures are not available for the remainder of 2009-10 or the period of 2010-11.